Information on our 2023 course:
The Caswell County Beekeepers Association is hosting a 9 week bee school to start in January 2023 and will conclude in March. This is an ideal time to learn about beekeeping just prior to obtaining your first bee hives in late March to May – the beginning of bee season.
Dates: 9 classes – Wednesday evenings, January 11 to March 8, 2023 – from 6:30PM to 8:30PM
Field day – Saturday, March 25 March 11, 2023 – meet in classroom (starts at 11AM). See field day schedule. For the field day, each student should bring a veil and any other protective equipment they feel comfortable with while working bees. The smoker and hive tool will be provided.
Cost: $75.00 – Includes instruction, book, binder, and handouts
$25.00 – For an additional accompanying family member or friend who will be sharing the book and materials
Registration fee includes 2023 CCBA membership.
REGISTRATION: Print and fill in the registration form and mail your payment: 2023-CCBA-Beekeeping-Course-Registration-Form.pdf
Topics:
| Session 1 | Jan 11 | Introduction to Beekeeping |
| Session 2 | Jan 18 | Equipment |
| Session 3 | Jan 25 | About the honey bee |
| Session 4 | Feb 1 | The colony |
| Session 5 | Feb 8 | Starting a Honey Bee Colony |
| Session 6 | Feb 15 | Bees’ enemies, pests, and diseases |
| Session 7 | Feb 22 | Food and water for your bees |
| Session 8 | Mar 1 | Products of the hive |
| Session 9 | Mar 8 | Managing your bees |
| Field Day | Mar 25 | Field Day |
For an in-depth list of topics in the above class outline, please see 2023-CCBA-Beginning-Beekeeping-Course.pdf. The outline, topics, and schedule are subject to change. Changes will be posted on this page.
All evening class sessions will be held in the basement of the Agriculture Building (126 Court Square) next to the Historic Courthouse in downtown Yanceyville, NC. Please park and enter from the back of the building on the lower level. For directions, click on tab at top of the page.
For the field day on March 11, each student should bring a veil and any other protective equipment they feel comfortable with while working bees. The smoker and hive tool will be provided. The location and starting time will be given during the class. Please note the Field Day will be on a Saturday. Rain date for the Field Day will be (TBD) March 18 (also a Saturday). See 2023-Field-Day-Schedule.pdf.
At the conclusion of the course, you will have the option of taking the written exam portion of the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA) Master Beekeeper Program to be on your way to become a NCSBA Certified Beekeeper. Membership in NCSBA is separate from CCBA and is required before you take the exam.
Questions? Please e-mail ccba@caswellcountybeekeepers.org.