Introduction to beekeeping (July)

This is a one day introduction to the delights of beekeeping. It is aimed at those with an interest in honey bees who may be considering taking up beekeeping, or who may just be interested in learning more about how honey bees live and the work of the beekeeper throughout the year. Attendees should be aged 16 years and over.

What we will cover

We will introduce you to the honey bee colony - workers, drones, and the queen - and discuss the colony's lifecycle and seasonal activities from the bees' perspective. Following this, we will look at current beehives and how they aim to meet the needs of the bees and of the beekeeper. We will also discuss basic tools and clothing for the beginner beekeeper.

After lunch in our garden tea room, we will get dressed in wellies and veils and head up to the apiary in the meadow, where we will open the beehives and meet the bees. We will show what happens in a routine hive inspection, and how gently the bees respond. You will have a chance to participate and hold honeycombs with bees.

Upon returning to our classroom, we will discuss in more detail the beekeeper's tasks season by season, including why and when to inspect beehives, how to recognise and deal with swarming, how to ensure the bees are well prepared for winter, and so on. We will demonstrate simple 'kitchen table' processing of honey and beeswax so that you can share the produce of your beehives - a sweet reward for a season's care and attention!

Venue

The event takes place at our purpose-built Honey Farm in the beautiful East Devon countryside. We are just two miles from the coast (as the bee flies) and are sited within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Honey Farm has a tea room with gardens, orchards, and a 24 acre wildflower meadow to explore. We have a dedicated classroom and a teaching apiary on site.

Refreshments

We will provide tea and coffee upon arrival, and between sessions. Lunch is included - we will eat together in our garden tea room; vegetarian options are always available but if you have specific dietary requirements then please contact us beforehand to discuss.

Meeting the bees

Our apiary is sited in the meadow adjacent to the farm building, approximately 200 metres walk along gently sloping grass paths. We will be standing in the apiary for about an hour whilst we meet the bees.

We breed our bees to be generally docile and well-behaved, however there is always the slight chance of a sting. We would not recommend this event for anyone who suffers a severe reaction to insect bites or stings (anaphylaxis).

What to bring

Please bring jeans and a long sleeved top (but avoid woollen or fluffy outer layers), and boots or wellies. We will provide beekeeping clothing and gloves. We will be providing handouts to summarise the talks, but you may wish to bring pen and paper to add your own notes.

Tickets

A paper ticket and leaflet for each attendee will be posted out upon confirmation of your order - ideal if this is intended as a gift.