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The survival of honeybees… Why are they vanishing?
How can you become involved with the care of these wonderful insects? In what way do current practices not support a symbiotic or respectful relationship with honeybees and other pollinators? How can we work with the bees and safeguard them?
Come join us for a hands-on series of classes and labs to experience the culture of the honeybee, foster our connections to the land, environment and each other while gaining confidence in keeping your own bees. Class materials and methods will focus on the top-bar Hive, and a natural means of raising bees. Top-bar hives are an appropriate technology hive they have proven to be a great system for backyard and small scale hobbyist.
Julie Finley Ridinger has been the Garden Director for the past eight years with Growing Gardens, has been raising her own bees for ten years and was one of the featured beekeepers in Sister Bee, a local, independent documentary. Your participation in this class supports the ¡Cultiva! Youth Project, of Growing Gardens. Questions?
2010 Beekeeping online registration instructions.
All proceeds from the class support the ¡Cultiva! Youth. The youth currently keep 20 colonies and hope to increase that number in 2010.
Class Structure: 
- 8 classes, one Saturday per month March - October.
- 3-4 hour sessions: 2 hour discussions followed by practical lab.
- Classes will be held at the Growing Gardens Greenhouse, 1630 Hawthorn Boulder, Co.
- Note: The July- August sessions are 4 hour practical labs. These labs are “off-site” in Longmont or Hygiene and require your own transportation.
- Informational material will be provided at each session.
- Experienced beekeepers are welcome to drop-in any class for fee of $60.00.
Cost:
- $400 per person. This includes a $40 instructional materials fee.
Directions for online registration; or for more information,
please give Julie a call at 303-443-9952 x.2
Class Schedule and Content Brief
Class 1 – Introduction
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010; Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Meet the instructor, share expectations and goals for the course. We will explain the top bar method and the basics of beekeeping.
There will be a demonstration hive available for inspection and plans for building your own top bar hive and information for purchasing supplies and bees.
Class II – Understanding the Bees
Date: Saturday, April 3, 2010; Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
We will meet the caste of bees that live in a colony and cover the ecology of honeybees. In the lab we will learn about hive preparation, how to install packaged bees or swarms, and what to look for in your new colony.
Class III - Colony Care I
Date: Sunday, May 2, 2010; Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
You will learn how to handle combs, trouble-shoot problems, manage build-up, and maintain the overall health of the hive. The lab will apply the knowledge gained from the class through hands-on beekeeping.
Class IV - Colony Care II
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2010; Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
We will review how to maintain healthy colonies and discuss sustainable agriculture practices and methodologies. In the lab we will review proper handling of the combs, assessing queen vitality and brood development and we will learn how to observe honey flow and colony strength through the seasons.
Class V – Practical Lab I
Date: Saturday, July 10, 2010; Time: 9:00am-1:00pm *off-site*
In this four hour lab you will have the opportunity to gain confidence and familiarity with honeybees and learn how to work a top-bar hive successfully. You will gain knowledge in how to manage hives for optimum honey production and colony health. We will begin the harvest of ¡Cultiva! honeycomb for Farmer’s Market sales.
Class VI – Practical Lab II
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010; Time: 9:00am-1:00pm *off-site*
This class will give you a chance to improve your skills and gain more experience handling combs and bees. We will continue to harvest honey. We will discuss and practice sustainable techniques for monitoring and preventing diseases and parasites.
Class VII – Fall and Winter Care Lab
Date: Saturday, September 11, 2010; Time: 9:00am-1:00pm
In this class we will review the use and application of Formic acid, Oxalic acid, herbal bee calm and other preparations for maintaining a healthy hive. We will also learn alternative honey processing techniques. We will also learn the steps needed to prepare the hives for winter and demonstrate a variety of winterization techniques unique to top bar hive management.
Class VIII – Honeybees give us more than honey
Date: Saturday, October 2, 2010; Time: 9:00am-12:00pm *optional*
Here we will learn how to process wax and how to make mold candles, ornaments, salves and lip balms. This 4 hour practical lab will be devoted to making samples of these various products and enjoying the fruits of your labor.
Here's a brochure you can download and print: Learn About Beekeeping.
Thank you, for your interest in honeybees, Growing Gardens, and our relationship to community,
Julie Finley Ridinger 303-443-9952, ext.2