We are very excited that the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and the Greenwich Audubon Center will be hosting this year's beekeeping school. This is the 9th year the Beekeeping School is being offered.
Beekeeping School consists of a series of 16 - 2.5 hour training classes. Each class consists of an hour-long lecture pertaining to one particular aspect of beekeeping followed by an hour and a half practice session working with live bees in an apiary set up by the students.
Two sections of the school are being offered. One at Greenwich Audubon Center in Greenwich, CT on Sunday mornings and one at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, NY on Tuesday evenings. The exact same material is being presented at both locations. Because of scheduling conflicts at Stone Barns and the nature of the topics being discussed - three of the classes will be held jointly at the Greenwich Audobon Center. See schedule at the left.
The schedule and list of topics covered is at the left. The school is intended to help participants learn the basic information needed to make good decisions regarding the care and maintenance of a honey bee colony. Participants will follow the lives of several colonies of honey bees over the course of one growing season.
The classes at Stone Barns will be taught by Maggie Schwed, staff beekeeper at Stone Barns and D. J. Haverkamp. The Greenwich Audubon Center classes will be taught by D. J. Haverkamp.
Beekeeping is a skill that is built on knowledge that is gained from experience over a period of time. We believe the only way to learn the craft and skills needed for keeping honey bees is by practicing with live bees and a good mentor. Beekeeping School is designed to give our participants a wide variety of experiences that they can use managing and caring for their own honey bees.
Protective equipment consisting of a hooded bee jacket, leather gloves, smokers and hive tools will be provided for all participants. If a participant is more comfortable in their own safety gear they are free to bring their own. The use of bee jackets is required during the apiary sessions. Honey bees do sting and it is a possibility that as a participant you may be stung. Students take full responsibility for any allergic reaction that may occur.
Students will be asked to enroll at one of the two locations as their home location. Should a student not be able to attend a class at their home location they will be permited to attend at the other location. Students need to be 16 years of age or older to enroll. Minors under 16 will be allowed to attend with a parent or guardian. Couples choosing to enroll together will need to pay the enrollment fee individually.
Due to social distancing requirements that have been imposed in the fight to slow the spread of the coronavirus we are making adjustments to the program as noted at the top of the page.
The cost for the 16 sessions is $250.
For those interested in learning the basic skills of beekeeping this is a great way to begin developing your skills. If you are planning on having bees on your own for the first time this year we offer excellent guidance to help you through your first year of beekeeping.
For additional information about the Beekeeping School please call 914-525-1990.