Beekeeping
Honey

A Beginner’s Beekeeping Certificate Course: A Way to Strengthen The Environment

With Nick Hoefly

ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

A Weekly Class
(5 Sessions) Wednesdays, September 1 – September 29, 2021, 6:00 – 9:00 pm ET
In-Person Class (Week 3) is on Friday, September 17, 2:00 – 5:00 pm ET

Beekeeping is an exciting and rewarding hobby. This course will prepare you to establish a hive in an urban or suburban environment like a rooftop, balcony or backyard. Students will learn about the bees, how to care for them, and the basic equipment and tools needed to start beekeeping.

This course is perfect for those just getting started or for those who have kept bees for a few years but would like to hone their skills and knowledge. Appropriately, in the month of September, is also designated as National Honey Month in the US. This correlates with the harvest season and is a perfect time to learn more about beekeeping. The timing will also help students set-up their hive for the following spring, which gives them enough time to learn, order equipment and bees and receive hands-on experience.

Note: This program will be offered online. Sessions of all our online programs will be recorded and shared with registrants after each is completed for 90 days.

The training will include the following 5 sessions:

Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 6:00 – 9:00 pm ET
ONLINE CLASS
1. All About Bees: We will cover the basic bee biology, including life cycles and behaviors of individuals and the colony as a superorganism. Understanding the bees’ natural behavior gives beekeepers a valuable tool to guide and care for the colony by working with their natural predispositions rather than fighting against their natural instincts.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021, 6:00 – 9:00 pm ET
ONLINE CLASS
2. Setting Up Your Hive: This class will cover several ways to get into beekeeping and how to set up your first hive. Find out about necessary equipment and accessories, as well as peripheral equipment for the honey harvest. Materials will include tips on sourcing reliable equipment, a beekeeping calendar, selecting your site and much more.

Friday, September 17, 2021, 2:00 – 5:00 pm ET
Green-Wood Cemetery National Historic Landmark in Brooklyn, NY – Click HERE for instructions for your visit to Green-Wood Cemetery
3. Inspecting Your Hive: This in-person class covers how to approach a live hive and basic hive inspections. Understanding what to look for when checking the hive helps catch problems early on and will keep your bees thriving. Students will have an opportunity to examine a working beehive up close and participate in the inspection. This session is in-person with live bees. Protective gear will be provided.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021, 6:00 – 9:00 pm ET
ONLINE CLASS
4. Pests & Disease: This is a general overview on the most common problems that can arise in keeping bees. Learn about some of the potential problems your bees can face and how to prevent sickness or treat a struggling hive. By keeping your hive healthy, you also keep honey bees in your area healthy. Beekeeping is a collective practice and your bees have an impact on all of the bees in your area.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 6:00 – 9:00 pm ET
ONLINE CLASS
5. Honey & Beyond: This class is about what your efforts working with bees can produce. Students will learn about all of the products derived from the hive and how to harvest them (honey, beeswax, propolis and more). A healthy hive can produce a large surplus of 30+ lbs of honey that the beekeeper can safely harvest.

Notes:

Except for 3rd Class on September 17, the program will be offered online. It will be recorded and shared with registrants after each session and will be accessible for 90 days from streaming.
The 3rd Class on September 17 will be held in person at the hives at Green-Wood Cemetery in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
All classes will include a lecture, class outline, additional reference materials and a live Q&A discussion.
Students who complete the course which include the class at Green-Wood Cemetery will be awarded with a Certificate of Completion.
A $25 fee for the Green-Wood Cemetery entry has been included in the class price.

After the registration, all students attending the in-person class will be requested to sign a waiver. Please see the waiver HERE. All registered students will receive the waiver for a convenient electronic signature via Sertifi.

Note for U.S. Nationals & International students not able to attend in-person class:

Beekeeping is considered a “local” craft anywhere in the world. The season will be different based on your location. A southern hemisphere location season is completely opposite to that in the northern hemisphere. This course is based on a typical season of beekeeping in the Northeast of the US. This training is not recommended if you cannot attend the in-person class and wish to receive a certificate of completion. If you still wish to register, you will be doing so for informational purposes only, and will only be able to view the in-person visit online.

Regular Program Price:
Members $345/ Nonmembers $390 (Including the $25 Session 3 entry fee)
Click HERE to register.

Special Pricing for U.S. Nationals outside of NYC & the tri-state area and International Students (those registrants who can’t attend the 3rd in-person class):
Members $260/ Nonmembers $290
Click HERE to register.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS COURSE

Prerequisites: N/A
Supplies list for the class: N/A
Instructions for your visit to Green-Wood Cemetery – CLICK HERE
Zoom Software Requirements: This is an online course that requires Zoom webinar software. Zoom is easy to use. Click HERE to make sure your computer is set-up correctly.