Beginning Beekeeping  

The 2022 Class is accepting new students

If you are interested in the

SPRING 2022 CLASS

read on...

 

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BEEKEEPER?

Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah (BONS) sponsors a class each year in Beginning Beekeeping.   The class is taught only once per year, in the early spring months (Feb-April).  This timing works best for the bees.  2022 will be our 18^th year teaching this class locally - the class has become extremely popular. 

As of Christmas, the 2022 class is FULL.  However, send me a note - people sometimes cancel at the last minute.  We might be able to fit you in.  

The BONS Beginning Beekeeping class is taught parallel to similar classes that are taught this time of year across Virginia. We are part of the Virginia Beekeeping Teaching Consortium. BONS serves Frederick and Clarke Counties, Winchester, and the northern reaches of Shenandoah, Warren and Fauquier Counties.

In 2022, we are currently planning on doing the class in person.  Covid may push us back online, but we're hopeful that won't happen.  This decision will be up to UVA and VT, who host our class sites.  

There is a lot to learn to be successful with Honey Bees.  The Beginning Beekeeping class gives you all the information you need to get through your first year or so of beekeeping.  We help you understand how a bee colony functions, what woodenware and protective gear to buy, how to build the hives, how to deal with diseases, and how to manage your bees to (hopefully) produce honey.

The class will likely run 8 sessions, mostly one day per week.  In addition to the class work, we will have 1-2 days that are practical and hands-on.  

Class members will need to choose one section to attend.  Choices are ...

> Monday evenings, 7-9pm, at the Virginia Arboretum at Blandy Farm (Library) beginning February 14, 2022, or  

> Wednesday evenings, 7-9pm at the Virginia Tech Research Farm, 595 Laurel Grove Rd, Winchester, beginning February 16, 2022

ALSO, please reserve Saturday, March 12 (Woodenware Build Day) and Saturday, April 9 (Field Day).   Both these days are important practical application parts of the class. 

The cost of the class for 2022 is $120.00.

Please also be aware that getting started in beekeeping is not inexpensive. The class fee is $120.00  ($120 - this includes club membership for one year). Plus the purchase of hive woodenware and protective gear, as well as bees to put into your hives. In total, first year costs can typically run about $900 minimum. Your future yearly costs will be much lower, but getting started takes some funds.

So if you're interested in learning beekeeping, let us know. Please send your name, address and phone number by email, to John Lewis.  We will be back in touch in January 2022. 

Come see/hear what beekeeping is all about!

John Lewis

BONS Education Coordinator