Beekeeping Workshop
Mastering the Art of Beekeeping 2010
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 Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile. Course includes five 4 hour sessions (8 am 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. These will be:
Class 1
- January 23
- February 6
- March 6
- April 17
- May 1
Class 2
- January 30
- February 13
- March 13
- April 24
- May 8
What’s Included
Included with the registration:
- Five class sessions
- Beekeeping handbook (one per family)
- One year’s family membership in Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association
The Cost
- $150 for one person
- $100 for additional family members
- $30 for each additional handbook (one included per family)
Registration
Advance registration is required.
Only 25 people per class will be accepted to enhance student/instructor interaction.
Download the Information and Registration Form
Download the above form and mail to:
Sabine Creek Honey Farm
P.O. Box 6
Josephine, TX 75164
What’s Covered
Sesson 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 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 of Blue Ridge, Texas, Blake is the current Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association President, CCHBA Director of the Youth Program, and Director at Large of the Texas Beekeepers Association. He currently is operating 400 colonies of bees and stays busy rearing and selling queens, building equipment, marketing honey. Blake is a frequent speaker at beekeeping meetings in other local, state, and national beekeeping associations.