Beginner Beekeeping Webinar

An online workshop in two parts: January 31 (Sunday) and February 7 (Sunday), 2021 – 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Online.

Fee: $50; $40 for MOFGA members.

Registration is closed for this event.

There are as many reasons to keep bees as there are beekeepers! From supporting pollinators & healthy ecosystems, to learning how these fascinating, smart creatures accomplish so much; not to mention the medicinal propolis, delicious honey & useful beeswax you get! Join Master Beekeeper Karen Thurlow for two introductory webinars to help you get ready for your first season keeping bees. She will begin by preparing you for the earliest decisions you’ll have to make when starting out: what equipment to get (and where), how to put together a new hive and where to situate it, and what bees to order and in what “form” (package or nuc). Then she will introduce you to the bees themselves – what their roles and basic needs are – as well as what you need to look for when inspecting your hive(s), and what each of the four seasons as a beekeeper will require of you.

Karen Thurlow started beekeeping in 1978 and is a certified Master Beekeeper and experienced beekeeping teacher. Karen owned New Moon Apiary, which was located in Cumberland County and sold package bees, nucs, and products from her hives. In 2018 she sold her apiary and moved to New Brunswick, Canada. Currently, Karen works seasonally managing hives at Miellerie Charlo Honeyhouse. She also works with the Natives Women’s Association of Canada teaching sustainable gardening, restoration of Indigenous plants and seeds, and promoting food sovereignty. Karen currently has two hives of her own.

Topics to be covered during Part 1:

·      The time commitment for managing beehives

·      Expected start-up cost and yearly expenses

·      Personal equipment, types of hives, and hive components 

·      Resources, recommended suppliers

·      Ordering packages or nucs – where to find them & when to order

·      Location – Choosing your apiary site

·      Races of honey bees

·      Beekeeping vocabulary

·      Products from the hive

Topics to be covered during Part 2:

·      Basic bee biology

·      The cast of bees:

o   Worker bees and their jobs

o   Drones & what they do

o   The Queen

·      Hive Inspections

·      Bee space

·      Brood

·      Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter management overview

·      Basics of care: feeding, pests, diseases