***This event is limited to people who have previously taken Bee Mentoring First Year with us in the past***

There's no better teacher than experience and hands-on for beekeeping. Unique and one of a kind opportunity to actually work the bees in actual bee hives for an entire year under the guidance of an experienced beekeeper. You will be expaning your learning and exploring more advanced topics as well as reinforcing what you've learned. Every year is different, fine tune your beekeeping goals and what you are looking for in the hives, tests for pests and have personal hands-on experience working in hives for an entire bee season. Fast track your learning through the mentorship of a UF Advanced Master Beekeeper.

Join us every 2 weeks on Saturday for an entire year, starting in April each year as our bee season begins and we end with graduation the following March.

You and fellow new beekeepers will suit up and partner up to take care of three 5-frame NUCs, grow them to 10-frame hives, do splits and re-queen as needed, harvest honey and all the tasks in between that may be needed for the year. Want a great head start into beekeeping and fine tune your techniques? 

WHEN:

Starts April 13, 2024 

Ends Mar 2025

Every 2 weeks on Saturday morning from 9-10:30/11am for 1 yr.

LOCATION:

GreenView Aquaponics Family Farm & Apiary

4160 Old Burnt Store Road, N, Cape Coral, FL 33993

 AT EACH SESSION:

First 15-20min starts with an overview of the Best Management Practices for the month as well as the Tasks to be completed today

Next hour or so, we’ll suit up conduct the hive inspections on the NUCs and any increases made from those NUCs as well as look for any seasonally relevant events and what you should be doing in your hives. You'll be filling out a hive inspection report at each session as part of your bee journal that you will be compiling through out the year.

During the course of the year, We’ll observe, discuss and complete the following:

• Identification of eggs, open brood, and capped brood
• Brood patterns and what they mean to you as a beekeeper
• Finding the queen
• Honey and pollen stores and what they mean to you as a beekeeper
• Pest identification
• Pest testing & treatment
• When to add/remove super boxes
• Managing brood boxes
• Gaps in the brood nest
• Adding/removing supers
• Harvesting honey

The last 15-20min of end of each session, the group will fill out their hive inspection reports for each colony and we will discuss what to prepare for the next session.

We will post the hive inspection reports in an online portal, where you can review the progress of the 3 NUCs throughout the year. as well as other bonus material

BETWEEN SESSIONS and WHAT ELSE IS INCLUDED:

 Have Questions between sessions, exciting bee thoughts keeping you up at night or simply not sure what you see in your hives at your own apiary? We will be available between sessions for Q&A thru a private What'sApp group just for your group. You can post pics, ask ?s or simply have some bee chatter between sessions with us and your fellow mentoring students. This group will also include other 2 or more year mentoring students. Your year 1 group will remain intact and there will one advanced mentoring group.

You will also receive a "Bee Journal Calendar" booklet that you can use to record your own bees at home, bring it to each session to discuss what you are seeing, in addition to relevant handouts, there will be hive inspection reports completed for each hive as an invaluable resource for years going forward. This can help guide you on what to do with your hives at your own apiary during the year and in the future

Any increases made from these 3 NUCs will be raffled off to attendees at graduation in March. You will receive an entry for every session you attend.

This is a year long commitment with a limited number of seats, so if you feel you cannot attend most of the year, please allow the seat to be open for someone that can. As much as we would like 100% attendance, we understand that life happens. 80% attendance is required to successfully graduate and be entered in the hive drawing in March.

• Participation Requirements each time you come for a mentoring session

  • Bring your own PPE (bee jacket or veil, gloves)
  • Bring your "Bee Journal Calendar" booklet (you will receive one at the first session)
  • Bring pen/pencil
  • Sign eWaiver of voluntary participation here => Click Here for eWaiver
  • Wear appropriate farm/beekeeping attire (ball cap, long pants, long sleeves if PPE is a veil, closed toed shoes, and weather appropriate)
  • Hydrate before coming (start the evening before).
  • We will provide plenty of water and shade.

Haven't taken Bee Mentoring First Year with us?

Sign up for the Next Bee Mentoring First Year here This is a requirement to participate in the advanced mentoring program  If you register without being a prior student, your registration will be cancelled and refunded.

TERMS and CONDITIONS

• Weather, Holidays and/or Farm emergencies may change the date of an upcoming mentoring session. We will do our best to reschedule these as soon as possible when possible. MakeUp sessions may or may not always be possible. We reserve the right to make these changes as needed and cancel sessions when necessary.
• Signed waivers are required to participate in any farm educational activity involving bees.
• If it rains, we will do a bee activity indoors. Rain or shine.
• No Refunds