Description
Beekeeping Lessons/Hive Maintenance
Ready, Set, Light your Smoker!
Want to bee a beekeeper? There’s a lot to learn! We meet nice folks all the time, who want to get started, but don’t know how. Lets spend some time together learning the basics.
We will come to you! Please have safety gear: Veil, Gloves, Jacket or Suit, Hive tool, Smoker and your colony of honeybees. Please do not inspect or open the hive at least 5-7 days prior to our visit. We will email/call you to confirm and set up a day/time. If you don’t have bees yet, please let us know and we will make arrangements to host your lesson at one of our apiaries. There will be an additional travel fee for locations outside Martin County.
$75.00 per person for 1 Hour (you will learn A LOT!)
Education and Resources:
Florida boasts a strong support system for the Newbee! First thing to do-Join your Local Beekeeping Association and attend meetings. If you are lucky, you may live in between 2, go to both! In our area we have the Treasure Coast Beekeepers Association that serves Martin, St Lucie and Indian River Counties. South of us is the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association.
We also have our 100 year old, Florida State Beekeeping Organization that is in full support of all bees and their keepers, and at the ready for any beekeeping related issue that needs support. You can join on their website for free, as a non paid member, just to interact with members all over the state. As a paid member, you are supporting their efforts, and you have the right to vote! They host an annual Conference that is full of education, beekeeping camaraderie, and hosts a Honey Show.
UFIFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab, located in Gainesville, FL, puts on 2 Bee Colleges annually. One in Gainesville, and one that rotates. A full schedule of education for all levels of Beekeeping, a Honey Judge Program and Honey Show, and they offer a Master Beekeeper Program.
Beekeeping Supplies: You’ll need your safety gear that we mentioned above, plus some wooden ware that will be the home for your little darlings. Consider getting 2 Deep Hive Boxes and 2 Medium Hive Boxes per hive plus frames and foundation(40 total) for each box. You’ll also need a hive stand, bottom board, and lid or cover. Place your colonies in full sun, away from an area where you need to landscape, and away from people and pets. Check out the Florida Department of Agriculture Apiary Division for information on registering with the State and where to place your bees on your property. Mann Lake Ltd and Dadant and Sons are excellent places to buy equipment and safety gear.
Books: There are so many on the topic of Beekeeping, but if I were to recommend a few to get started, here they are! These are really just a sample of what’s out there. I chose diversely, to explore and enjoy the many facets of being a beekeeper.
The Hive and the Honeybee- Dadant and Sons
Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honeybees-Malcolm Sanford and Richard Bonn
Apitherapy-From a Beekeepers Perspective-Lady Spirit Moon Cerelli
