Beginner's Beekeeping Class

[O4L]

I took a free online course from Penn State a few years ago. I found it very helpful.

I was going to live on a small farm that some friends owned and be the beekeeper until I realized that wearing a hot bee suit in the summer just in case we got some pissy bees wasn't going to be my thing at all.

 

[2busy]

I took a free online course from Penn State a few years ago. I found it very helpful.

I was going to live on a small farm that some friends owned and be the beekeeper until I realized that wearing a hot bee suit in the summer just in case we got some pissy bees wasn't going to be my thing at all.

I guarantee you would be happy to have a bee suit or jacket on with a hive full of grumpy bees. Btdt. I can pretty much guarantee you'll get stung by my bees if you pop the top off.

 

[2busy]

I know the master gardeners course filled up quick and they don't have them every year down here. So you might need to check into that. I don't remember anything about water conservation or catchment in the course. It certainly isn't organic methods or chemical free. It's OSU so whatever the latest greatest chemicals will be the recommendation on how to treat whatever it is you're doing.

 

[HillsideDesolate]

Classes and education can never hurt. I took one really basic class a few years before getting bees and mostly learned from "beekeepIng for dummies"

My main advice it to start with 2 hives and buy local stock. I think deerslayer has some equipment he wants to unload.

 

[2busy]

Learn the terminology . It is a lot easier if you can communicate with a experienced beekeeper. It's frustrating if I'm trying to get information to help them and they don't even know what I'm talking about. They sure won't be able to tell me what they see inside of the hive if they don't take the time to learn terminology and definitions.

 

[CanadianRiverRat]

Funny coincidence, the book "beekeeping for dummies" is one of the items I wanted to give That Gurl.

 

[THAT Gurl]

Classes and education can never hurt. I took one really basic class a few years before getting bees and mostly learned from "beekeepIng for dummies"

My main advice it to start with 2 hives and buy local stock. I think deerslayer has some equipment he wants to unload.

Oh really?!?! @Deer Slayer ?? @Oklahomabassin you know how to get ahold of George??

 

[THAT Gurl]

Well I've made up my mind I'm going "to school" Wednesday. I'm kinda stoked.

 

[HillsideDesolate]

Learn the terminology . It is a lot easier if you can communicate with a experienced beekeeper. It's frustrating if I'm trying to get information to help them and they don't even know what I'm talking about. They sure won't be able to tell me what they see inside of the hive if they don't take the time to learn terminology and definitions.

This!

Also get your equipment and practice with it before you have beers. Learn how to use your tools to pull frames and how to hold and turn the frames without dropping, while wearing gloves etc. Personally I only use gloves when robbing, its easier to work with out them and you kill less bees which keeps them from getting pissed. Also J tool makes things way easier

 

[retrieverman]

Oh really?!?! @Deer Slayer ?? @Oklahomabassin you know how to get ahold of George??

I’m almost positive he got rid of his bee stuff, but I’ll PM you his number.