A few openings remain for the Audubon Center & Sanctuary's eight-session series on beekeeping.
Responding to an overwhelming interest in learning more about beekeeping, Audubon created the program to begin March 16 and extend through Sept. 7. The classes will be on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon and will cover these subjects:
March 16: Nuts and bolts of Beekeeping, with students learning the equipment needed;
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Responding to an overwhelming interest in learning more about beekeeping, the Audubon Center & Sanctuary is offering an eight-session series on the subject, from March 16 through Sept. 7. A beekeeper is shown above working with Audubon’s hives.
April 6: Bee Yards, which will teach finding the best locations for a hive;
April 20: Getting New Bees, featuring different techniques to put bees into a hive, with hands-on experience;
April 27: Monitoring the Hive;
May 18: Supers and Splits, demonstrating techniques for adding supers into the hive, how to split a hive and how to capture a swarm;
June 15: Bee Diseases;
Aug. 3: Overwinter Your Hive; and
Sept. 7: Harvesting Honey, which will also discuss marketing and selling honey.
The classes will be led by a variety of beekeepers, the main three being Laura and Dennis Lamonica and Walt Dahlgren. They bring decades of beekeeping experience and will lead novice beekeepers through their first year. Beekeepers need to order their own bees and provide their own equipment. A list of required equipment and sources will be mailed to participants. All beekeepers will be required to wear veils, gloves and jackets during classes.
For more information, visit jamestownaudubon.org. The cost is $200 or $150 for Friends of the Nature Center. Class size is limited to 20 and reservations with payment are required by Monday. To make reservations, call 569-2345 or email to info@jamestownaudubon.org.
Audubon education programs are made possible in part through funding from the Johnson Foundation, the Carnahan Jackson Foundation, the Hultquist Foundation and the Jessie Smith Darrah Fund. The Toward Sustainability Foundation is also helping pay for the workshops, while Cornell Cooperative Extension is partnering with Audubon to administer the grant.