Buncombe County Beekeepers 2023 Beginners Bee School

Buncombe County Beekeepers Club announces the 2023 BCBC Beginners Beekeeping School.

Nov. 7th, 9th, 6;30pm – 8:30pm.

Nov11th – Hands on workshops day (no live bees will be present) 8:30am-4:30pm

 $90 per person Includes:

course book – 1 year BCBC membership  – course materials

 Lunch Included for Saturday  workshops!

If you want to bring a family member  or two there will be an additional cost of $15per to cover the cost of lunch (you will only receive one book and set of material handouts)

Seating limited to 80 participants!

click here to register!

Buncombe County Beekeepers Club (BCBC), a chapter of the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association, is one of the largest and longest standing beekeeping clubs in North Carolina. BCBC is dedicated to the education and success of  those interested in the art and science of beekeeping, with the support of other local beekeepers. BCBC puts a great emphasis on education, because in our view, a knowledgeable beekeeper is a good, lifelong beekeeper. 

This is an intensive event  that will expose new beekeepers to the skills they should develop in their first year of  beekeeping. The content and course material is a newly designed format that received rave reviews in 2018, 2019, and 2021. This course concentrates on what all new beekeepers should learn their first year in order to support  a honeybee colony through its first season in their own apiary.

The first session :Welcome and general lecture that introduces new beekeepers to the super-organism, and biology of the honey bee.  These are ‘must know’ lessons to help you understand and identify what you will see in your hives.

The second session: We will  be covering hardware(hives and equipment) and pests and disease. of the honey bee.

The third session : Saturday, will be  ‘hands on’ session, that consists of four  separate breakout ‘round-robin’ sessions. Bear fence, siting your apiary,feeding and treating, smokers. As a participant you will have the opportunity to ‘get your hands dirty’ using the various pieces and parts of equipment that is involved in a beekeepers daily life. (Saturday includes lunch, with vegan and paleo options, for participants at no additional cost. )

Beekeepers will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate items as needed.

The course will end with The Year in the Life of a Beekeeper and a general wrap up session, review, local supplier introductions, end of course evaluation and graduation!

Hands on workshops and demonstrations will not be using live bees – NO bees (or beekeepers!) will be harmed during this course!

Click here to register!

Nov 7th First  Session

Mountain Horticultural Research Center Mills R6:45iver

6:30pm Welcome—what is BCBC
6:45pm- 7:00pm

7:00pm-8:15pm

8:15pm-8:30pm

House keeping and what to expect

The Super Organism

Wrap up

Nov 9th
Second Session

Mountain Horticultural Research Center Mills River

6:30pm-6:45pm Welcome/Housekeeping
6:45pm-7:30pm Hardware
7:30pm-8:30pm Pests and Disease
8:30pm-8:45pm Saturday hands on prep
Nov. 11th Hands On Sessions

Mountain Horticultural Research Center Mills River (lunch included)

8:30-9:00am Registration—Check in
9:00-9:15am Welcome, days description
9:15am-10:30am

10:45am-12:00pm

Round Robin sessions

Round Robin sessions

12:15-1:30pm Lunch—open Q & A
1:30pm-2:30pm

2:30pm-3:30pm

Round robins sessions

Round Robin sessions

3:30pm—4:30pm The Year in the Life of  A beekeeper

Wrap-up