Each year we run a number of courses ranging from an introductory course for those contemplating taking up beekeeping to more specialised courses for those who wish to develop new or existing skills.
Our current courses are:
1) An Introduction to Beekeeping
This on-line course will introduce you to the craft of beekeeping and raise your awareness of all the matters you should consider before acquiring any bees!
2) Practical Beekeeping for Beginners
This is a one-day, practical course for those who have completed our Introduction to Beekeeping course and now wish to familiarise themselves with the skills and equipment needed to keep bees and gain some practical experience of managing an active colony of bees.
3) A complete introduction to beekeeping
This course is for those who prefer “live” sessions to on-line sessions. It covers all the content of An Introduction to Beekeeping and Practical Beekeeping for Beginners in a four session course.
4) Alternative approaches to beekeeping
This is a course for conventional beekeepers wishing to learn more about alternative approaches to beekeeping.
1. An Introduction to Beekeeping
This on-line course will introduce you to the craft of beekeeping and raise your awareness of all the matters you should consider before acquiring any bees!
The course comprises of a brief introduction and the following 16 sections, which can be viewed separately and in any order. Total running time 135 minutes.
| 1. Why keep bees? | 10. Hives and equipment |
| 2. Brief history of beekeeping | 11. Creating an apiary |
| 3. Types of beekeepers | 12. Acquiring bees |
| 4. The beekeeping year | 13. Bee stings |
| 5. Life history of the honey bee | 14. Bees, the Law and Insurance |
| 6. Hive inspections | 15. Bureaucracy |
| 7. Collecting swarms | 16. The next steps |
| 8. Hive products | 17. Yellow Legged Asian Hornet |
| 9. Bees, wasps and hornets |
Cost: £35
To download a booking form, please click here.
2. Practical beekeeping for Beginners
This one-day, practical course is for those who have completed our Introduction to Beekeeping course and now wish to familiarise themselves with the skills and equipment needed to keep bees and gain some practical experience of managing an active colony of bees.
During the day we shall cover:
Session 1: Health and Safety, Risk assessments, Manual handling, Anaphylactic Shock
Session 2: Setting up an apiary, long hives and vertical hives, swarm boxes, hive tools, apiary hygiene
Session 3: Frame making, Use of foundation and smokers
Session 4: Reasons for inspections, weather, protective clothing, warning notices
Session 5: Live hive inspections.
