MOUNT VERNON — Have you been thinking about keeping honey bees but weren’t sure how to get started? The Knox County Beekeepers Association can help. They will be offering two classes this winter; Beginning Beekeeping 1 and Beginner Beekeeping 2. These classes will be held on Feb. 11 and March 11.
The Beginning Beekeeping class provides all the information needed to get started: Where to purchase bees and equipment, and how to care for bees and keep them healthy. Instruction also will be given on what to look for when you are working your bees, basic biology and behaviors, bee health, pest problems and solutions and of course honey harvesting.
The Beginner Beekeeping 2 class delves a bit deeper into the art of hive management with discussion of topics such as making more honey, catching swarms, collecting pollen and splitting hives. In both classes, the aim is to present best-practices in a straight-forward, step-by-step, easy to understand format. Class and group discussions are encouraged between instructors, seasoned beekeepers and “newbees.”
“We can’t teach everything there is to know about beekeeping in one or two days, but it will be enough to get anyone interested started and have fun,” said Sarah Gabric, one of KCBA board members.
Come with your questions and curiosity. You are welcome to take both classes. It’s a great opportunity to meet other beekeepers, learn and contribute to the conversation.
Included in the registration fee is lunch, a copy of First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith Delplane, and a one-year membership to the Knox County Beekeepers Association and The Ohio State Beekeepers Association.
Both classes will be held at The Glenn Gallagher Center, 1451 Gambier Road, Mount Vernon. Preregistration is required. Visit www.knoxbees.com to learn more about the classes and register online. For questions, call Jeff Gabric at 515-450-1359.