2023 Schedule (Year 1 Beekeepers)
Program Introduction
Timing | February Week 1
– Lesson | Introduction to Managed Mentoring
February
Getting Familiar with the Hive and Beekeeping Equipment
Timing | Complete by February Week 2
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 01 | Langstroth Equipment
– Lesson 02 | Langstroth Equipment Pieces
– Lesson 03 | Purchasing Hive Equipment
– Lesson 04 | Other Beekeeping Equipment
Timing | Complete by February Week 4
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 05 | Protective Equipment
– Lesson 06 | Building Frames
– Lesson 07 | Hive Fabrication
– Lesson 08 | Hive Painting
Session | February Lesson Recap
Online Meeting Recording (Hosted March 1st, 2023)
March
Good Beekeeping | Hiving Swarms
Timing | Complete by March Week 2
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 09 | Sourcing Bees
– Lesson 10 | Queen Rejection Risk – Packages
– Lesson 11 | Beekeeping is Local
– Lesson 12 | Choosing a Style
– Lesson 13 | Adherence to Regulations
– Lesson 14 | Be a good neighbor
Session | Online Meeting Scheduled March 15, 2023
Apiary Design | Nucs
Timing | Complete by March Week 4
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 15 | Apiary Design
– Lesson 16 | Hive Placement
— Optional Lesson | Bear Fencing
Session | Online Meeting Scheduled for April 5, 2023
April
Installing Bees
Timing | Complete by April Week 2
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 17 | Installing Bees- Package
– Lesson 18 | Installing Bees- Nucleus
Session | Online Meeting Date Mid-April
Post Install Care
Timing | April Week 4
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 19 | Post Install – First Week
– Lesson 20 | Inspections
– Lesson 21 | Using A Hive Tool
– Lesson 22 | Things you will See (part 1)
– Lesson 22 | Things you will See (part 2)
– Lesson 23 | Feeding New Colonies
Session | Online Meeting Date April End
May
Colony Growth
Timing | May Week 2
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 24 | Equipment Prep for future stages
– Lesson 25 | Record Keeping
– Lesson 26 | From One Box to Two
Varroa Mites
Timing | May Week 4
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 27 | Varroa Mites
– Lesson 28 | Mite Monitoring
– Lesson 29 | Mite Treatment Options
– Lesson 30 | Small Hive Beetles
June
The Calendar of Summer
Timing | June Week 2
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 31 | The Calendar of Summer
– Lesson 32 | From two boxes to two three or more
– Lesson 33 | Summer and Fall Feeding
JUNE IN-PERSON Mentor Visits
Timing | June Week 3
Mentors will be making visits Mid-June – Mite Monitoring, Queen Marking, Colony Assessments
Looking ahead to Fall Preparations
Timing | June Week 4
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 34 | Preparing for the Fall Nectar Flow
– Lesson 35 | Summer Queen Assessment
– Lesson 36 | Robbing
July
Summer Assessments & Mitigations
Timing | July Week 2
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 37 | Mite Infestations in the Fall
August
Summer Break
– Lesson 38 | Propping Up Weak Hives
– Lesson 39 | Collapsing to two boxes
No Online Sessions in August
September
Comb Storage and Fall Feeding
Timing | September Week 2
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 40 | Equipment (Comb) Storage
– Lesson 41 | Dealing with Waxmoth
– Reiteration of Fall Feeding (Lesson 33)
October
Winterizing Hives
Timing | October Week 2
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 42 | Executing Winterization
November
Caring for Hives in Winter
Timing | November Week 2
Session | Online Meeting
Meeting Prerequisites
– Lesson 43 | Looking after Hives in Winter
December
Winter Break
No Sessions in December