The Sammamish Valley blooming season inspires an explosion of honey-bee activity and, with it, the activity of their beekeepers. If you’re new to beekeeping and thinking about getting your own hive, this series will help you learn how to manage a hive before you actually own bees. Or, if you already own colonies of honey bees, these courses can serve as a useful review.
The series of three classes, as part of the 21 Acres School, are offered Saturdays, June 2, August 4 and September 15. Instructors, Gary Gibbons and Clare MacQueen, are officers and members of the Northwest District Beekeeping Association (NWDBA), and possess a wealth of knowledge and skills they are glad to share to help you get started.
\Weather permitting, this is an outdoor, hands-on class which begins with a short lecture about what a hive inspection is, why regular inspections are important (including basic information about IPM, or integrated pest management), and things to look for. Students will have an opportunity to inspect hives, which means that protective gear (a minimum of hat, veil, and gloves) is required before entering the 21 Acres Apiary. Honey bees are defensive, rather than offensive; but bee stings can happen, and we want to maintain the safety of our students and our bees. During inspections, hives will be adjusted accordingly and preventive maintenance conducted to reduce likelihood of disease or swarms in the future. Fee is $25
For more information or to register and pay-on line visit http://21acres.org/school/beekeeping-series. Registration is available for each class individually or at a discount of $65 when taking all three. Early registration is encouraged, class size is limited.
