This course does not require any prior knowledge of beekeeping.  It is designed to be of equal interest to the person who wants to get into beekeeping and to those who simply want to know more about the “busy bees” that provide us with the delicious treat of honey and many of our fruits and vegetables.

The course will cover the required hardware, the biology of the honeybee, beekeeping tasks throughout the seasons, as well as the honey harvest.  The Museum’s four outdoor hives will give the participant an opportunity to get hands-on experience on how to assemble the hardware, how to start a new hive (the “hiving procedure”) and how to assess the health of a developing hive. We will also discuss some of the recent results of current bee research.

The course will be co-taught by George Muhlebach, a hobby beekeeper with over 30 years experience and has run the CCMNH bee program for the last 12 years, and Nancy Hipp, experienced Field Guide, Naturalist, and Bee docent volunteer.

The cost is $65 at registration and includes hand-outs and instruction. Volunteer to assist with 4 summer hive openings during the 2018 season and get a $25 rebate.

To register please call the Museum at 508-896-3867, ext. 133.