Interested in beekeeping? There's no better time to check it out. We've listed 3 *** Time Sensitive *** US-based virtual workshops below, as well as a fourth option in video form. If you're interested you should register soon. These online courses seem to be open to anyone around the world, you just need to check time differences on a search engine.
More people are looking to beekeeping than ever before. It is a profitable side business or a full-time vocation/occupation. It is also a fun hobby and best of all, it connects you with nature and helps you feel a sense of fulfillment that you are doing something for the environment, the food chain, and your local community. Once you connect with your bees, you form a bond with them that is a big beautiful surprise for new beekeepers.
There are many benefits to being a beekeeper, not least of which is the delicious fresh honey your bees produce and which you can sell if you don’t want to eat it all yourself. Then there is the fact that they pollinate your other plants and vegetables, not to mention in some areas you can make money by providing your bees for pollination services. Bees are fascinating insects and humans can stand to learn a lot from bees.
This 4:18-minute video by Enjoy Beekeeping is of interest for those wishing to learn natural beekeeping:
BEEKEEPING 101 VIRTUAL CLASS -- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Boone County is hosting a virtual Beekeeping 101 course on Zoom on Monday, March 15 and March 22, 2021 at 5:30 pm Iowa time.
This two-day virtual Beekeeping Basics course on Zoom will be led by Zack Koopman, ISU Agriculture Specialist. It is designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of beekeeping and will help attendees to decide if this hobby is right for them. Night One: basics on equipment and startup decisions. Night Two: management decisions and honey harvest.
There don’t seem to be any restrictions about who can attend. Pre-Registration is required, you can’t just tune in at the last minute. To pre-register and pay a $5 payment to Boone County Extension contact the Boone County Extension office at 515-432-3882 or email ahooper@iastate.edu
HONEYBEE COLONY WORKSHOP 9 a.m. to noon March 20. Beekeeping 102. Explore the art and skill of beekeeping with master beekeepers, who will discuss taxonomy, bee biology and more. $40. Must register by March 18.
In this 3-hour online class we will examine honeybee colony activities and behaviors, the reproductive cycle and communication and orientation systems. Learners will explore: Taxonomy, Honey Bee Races, Bee Biology (glandular and reproductive systems), Colony Activities (task division, orientation flight, foraging, communication, thermoregulation, respiration, swarming/reproduction). Link
EJBees BEGINNING BEEKEEPER CLASSES starts on March 13, 2021 so if you’re interested you’ll need to register fast. East Jefferson Beekeepers Association, or EJBees, will be offering an online series of beekeeping courses for beginners starting Saturday, March 13.
Two online classes will be offered every week for five weeks through Sunday, April 11. Presentations are online and are designed for a work-at-your-own-pace practice.
If bees interest you, there is no better time to start beekeeping and get involved. This is an ideal way for you to Save The Bees because you can choose for your bees to forage on your organic pesticide-free non-GMO heirloom seed flowers for their nectar and pollen.
Start small in your first season with maybe two hives might be a good idea, and if you are still enjoying your bees by autumn you can grow your garden apiary in time for the following spring.