“Successful Beekeeping in Whatcom County”
This year’s class is currently ON HOLD until Covid-19 is well enough under control for us to meet safely as a class. A note to those who have asked: mentoring beekeepers is best done in person. It’s an activity not well suited to Zoom or other online meeting platforms.
This 8-week course focuses on my own methods for keeping honeybees alive, healthy and productive under the conditions and challenges we currently face right here in Whatcom County. With these field-tested techniques, I believe every new beekeeper can succeed right from the beginning.
There’s a lot to be learned about beekeeping in books and online, but those resources don’t usually reflect our local beekeeping challenges. This class should be viewed as a kind of mentoring. I will show you “hands-on” how I manage my own hives successfully year after year. My methods are a composite of what I’ve learned from other talented local beekeepers, lots of study and years of practice. I will pass on as much of that as possible in eight 2-hour classes.
I started beekeeping in 2005 with one California “package” from Belleville Honey. I have never bought bees or queens since then. I raise my own bees as sustainably as possible with as few outside inputs as possible. My dark, “Carniolan-ish” bees are gentle, over-winter well, are relatively disease-free, and respond well to parasite management. ANY beekeeper can do the same with good training and persistence. That’s what this class will offer. My goal: locally raised bees that thrive in Whatcom County.
A NOTE: This class deals with Langstroth hive equipment and management techniques. “Bees in Boxes.” This method has been field-proven as the most successful for beekeepers world-wide over more than 160 years and works beautifully in our local weather conditions. Of course, I’m glad to discuss other types of hives and systems briefly, but we will concentrate on Langstroth and how this method can be used to best advantage for you and your bees.
We will have our own bees to work with! Weather permitting, we will make several daytime field trips to one of my nearby apiaries. Field trips are usually on a weekend, scheduled at a time when most people can attend.
Class will meet at Chuckanut Center in Fairhaven, Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30 as soon as it’s safe to do so. Registration will open a few weeks before class starts. Limited to 15 beekeepers.
We will cover:
– Basic Honeybee Biology and how to use it to your advantage.
– Special challenges we face in Whatcom County with our unpredictable maritime climate.
– Equipment: preparing, maintaining, buying recommendations.
– Package Bees and Nucleus Hives: Getting off to a good start!
– Hive Inspections: what you’re seeing and how to use that information.
– Swarms: prevention, catching, hiving.
– Diseases and Parasites: keeping your bees healthy while doing them no harm.
– Feeding Bees: when, how much, when to stop, what to feed.
– Honey: several harvesting approaches for hobby beekeepers, sales, hygiene.
– Queens: marking, raising your own, handling.
– Preparing for successful over-wintering: combining for strength, insulation, winter feeding. !
– Bring Your Bees into Spring: Hooray! You made it through to the next season!
That’s just a partial list. Bring your questions, plans and ideas. We will come up with a 2021 Season Plan for each participant. Want to know more about me? Look HERE.
Questions? Post them HERE on my website. See you in class!
Cheers, Michael
Michael Jaross
Whatcom Bee Help