Saturday February 18, 2023 -NOFA-VT Winter Conference - UVM Campus, Burlington, VT
Getting Started in Organic Beekeeping
Saturday March 3-5, 2023 - Vermont Flower Show, Champlain Valley Exposition, 105 Pearl St., Essex Junction, VT
Why Keep Bees & How to Get Started
Saturday/Sunday May 20-21, 2023 - 9am-5pm - Organic Beekeeping for Beginners -Metta Earth Institute - 334 S. Geary Rd., Lincoln, VT
Learn about the current state of the honeybee and the beekeeping industry, as well as alternatives to the failing status quo. Designed for the rank beginner, but beneficial for those with several years experience, we cover honey bee biology, resources for sourcing bees, choosing an apiary site, and the tools and equipment you will need. Safe, nontoxic, and effective methods for controlling hive pests and diseases such as mites and foulbrood will also be covered, as well as tips on successfully overwintering hives. Whether you are looking to use fewer chemicals, or are committed to keeping bees organically, this course is for you. The class will be punctuated with visits to the bee yard and the opportunity for hands-on experience, weather permitting. Fee: $135 (includes copy of course text book, Natural Beekeeping or DVD) To Register: Call Ross at 802-349-4279 or email dancingbhoney at gmail dot com
Sunday June 4, 2023 - 9am-5pm - Intermediate Beekeeping Class - Middlebury, Vermont
This class builds on the beginner class with a focus on working with queens and swarms and producing, harvesting, processing and using all the products from the hive (pollen, propolis, honey, beeswax, royal jelly, and bee venom) for use in apitherapy. The class also covers making nucleus colonies and participants will get the opportunity to practice assembling a nucleus colony if the weather is favorable for a visit to the bee yard. Fee: $85 To Register: Call Ross at 802-349-4279 or email dancingbhoney at gmail dot com
Friday September 22-24 - Common Ground Country Fair - Unity, Maine
Short workshops on getting started with organic beekeeping and apitherapy with products from the hive offered throughout the weekend.
Saturday November 18, 2023 - Keeping Bees Healthy Naturally - Western New York Honey Producers
Vermont beekeeper Ross Conrad will share chemical and drug-free approaches to maintaining healthy colonies that survive winter most of the time. Ross will cover numerous safe, nontoxic and effective methods for controlling pests like varroa, wax moths and small hive beetles. Maintaining disease-free colonies will also be covered with natural and organic approaches for dealing with pathogens such as foul brood and nosema. Plenty of time will be allotted for questions and answers.