Beekeeping Seminar

Mastering the Art of Beekeeping 2012

About

Introductory course to the fascinating world of beekeeping and honey production for the beginner or hobby beekeeper. Learn the art of basic beekeeping. Set up your own colony of bees. Build your own bee equipment. Learn how to produce your own honey.
The sessions are led by experienced beekeepers and include lecture and hands on application of the presented material that is based on the college textbook, Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping by Dr. Dewey Caron. Course includes five 4hr sessions (8AM to 12 PM). These classes are designed for the beginner or beekeeper with limited experience. Beekeeping equipment and bees will be available for purchase during the seminar.

This course is scheduled for five Saturday morning sessions: once each month January thru May at Sabine Creek Honey Farm. Instructors will be John Talbert and Blake Shook. Only 25 people for each group of classes will be accepted and advance registration is required.

Schedule

Due to the increased interest in beekeeping, two seminar classes will be offered. A third class on the afternoon of the first group will be offered if there is sufficient demand.

Class 1

Class 2

What’s Included

Included with the registration:

The Cost

Registration

Advance registration is required.

Only 25 people per class will be accepted to enhance student/instructor interaction.

Download info and registration form

Download the above form and mail to:

Sabine Creek Honey Farm
P.O. Box 6
Josephine, TX 75164

What’s Covered

Session One

Session one will cover the history of beekeeping, bee anatomy, and setting up bee colonies. Bee anatomy and how it is related to the bee’s life and work will be covered. The various ways to set up new colonies will be discussed and demonstrated. You will also learn about woodenware and personal protective equipment. Students will be able to order new equipment, bees, and woodenware at this session.

Session Two

Session two will review the difference between honey bees and other bees in addition to the difference between bees and other stinging insects. The history of Africanized Honey Bee (Killer Bee) and its current location in North America will be reviewed. Information on identification of bee diseases and parasites will be presented. The methods and recovery/refurbishment of old equipment will be demonstrated.

Session Three

Session three will focus on the collection of nectar and pollen, natural conversion of nectar into honey, and the honey harvest. Production of comb honey and extracted honey will be discussed. Honey extracting equipment will be demonstrated. The last part of the class will cover the list of year round activities.

Session Four

Session four will be in the bee yard opening hives and performing a normal spring inspection that will include evaluation of stores, honey flow underway, amount of brood, location of the queen, and general health of the colony. If the students have elected to purchase bees, they will be available to take them home that evening.

Session Five

Session five will provide a review in the beeyard after the students have had experience with their bees. The class will provide additional practice finding the queen and examining an established colony for brood, hive population, and general health of the colony.

Testimonials

“The class was very interesting and educational.”

Jerry H., Dallas

“The combination of lectures, preferred reading list, videos, and (best of all) Hands On time with bees blended well for true and lasting learning.”

Lisa B., Terrell

“I would encourage anyone interested in beekeeping on either a professional or hobbyist level to take the class.”

Jo B., Irving

About the Instructors

John J. Talbert

Owner of Sabine Creek Honey Farm in Josephine, Texas. Married over 50 years to Lavada with two grown children, Leslee and John, and three grandsons. Grew up on a dairy farm in McLennan County near Waco. UT Austin graduate with BS in Mechanical Engineering. Retired after 37 years at Raytheon E-Systems in Garland, Texas. Honorary Fellow member of American Institute of Plant Engineers. Beekeeper since 1985. Past President of Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association. Past President of Texas Beekeepers Association and Chairman of the TBA State Fair Booth Committee. Member Board of Directors American Beekeeping Federation. Currently Executive Secretary of the Texas Beekeepers Association.

Blake Shook

Owner of Desert Creek Honey Co, Blake is the past president of the Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association, CCHBA Director of the Youth Program, and Director of the Texas Beekeepers Association and the American Beekeeping Federation. He currently operates 1200 colonies of bees with John Talbert. Blake is a frequent speaker, usually accompanied by his wife Kathleen, at beekeeping meetings in other local, state, and national beekeeping associations.