Two Bee Schools coming in January

BY Chris Erwin

All year long, people slowly begin to think about what it would be like to have honey bees. How hard is it? How much does it cost? How much room do I need? And a hundred other question pops in your head. I know I’ve been there. Well, this is the month to get all your answers and more.

The UK AG department, partners with local bee clubs to do low-cost training to become beekeepers. Boyd County, hosted by the Northeast Kentucky Beekeepers Association, will be hosting their annual bee school Jan 25th, and Greenup County Beekeepers Association will be hosting their 3rd yearly bee school Jan the 18th.

Both schools will begin at 8:30-9am, where they will be registering students, and both schools will start at 9am on their respective days.
I am a member of both clubs; however, I will not be at both schools. I will be one of the instructors at the Greenup Count School, but I am scheduled for surgery on the 23rd, so I will not be able to attend the Boyd county school. It will be the first one I have missed since its inception.

I want to take them in order the Greenup County school will be first, here is the information for it provided to me by the Greenup County Extention Center.
In conjunction with the Greenup County Extention Office, we provide continuing education in the introduction to and the undertaking of the fascinating hobby and skill of beekeeping. Because of the current issues facing the honeybee, we work together in helping others succeed and understand the challenges of beekeeping.

We cover: required equipment, tools, protective clothing, obtaining bees, where to locate them, address swarming, making splits, hive inspections, proper feeding, pests control, and many other essential steps to help shorten the learning curve for new beekeepers. Instructors will be Richard Timberlake, Chris Erwin, Jeff Bonzo, Carrie Davis, Ron Felty, and Jerry Brewer.
Registration is 8-9am Saturday morning (the 18th) at the Extention Office in Wurtland at the intersection of US 23 and the Industrial Parkway. The morning session is 9-12. Free lunch will be 12-1 and the afternoon session is 1-3 pm

This is your chance to learn how to become a beekeeper and join beekeepers from our area in saving and raising your own bees ( photo by Chris Erwin)

Vendor: Honey and Bee Connection, Door prizes, Please preregister by calling 606-836-0201, Current members and school teachers: $5.00 non-members -$10.00
Boyd County School as Follows provided by the UK College of Agriculture Food and Environment Cooperative: Hosted by The Northeast Kentucky Beekeepers Association. The school is Jan 25, starting at 9am, At the Boyd County Fairgrounds in the Franks Building. Free coffee and donuts will be served during the registering period 8:30 to 9. First-class will be Equipment, installation, and first-year by JimCoss. 10:45 pest diseases and management by Dr. MJ Wixsom, DVM, MS. Noon: Free lunch featuring a Taco bar. 12:45 Second Year Management By Mike Crawford Certified Queen Breeder.1:45 Splits and Requeening Brett Green. Closing by Mike Crawford President of NEKY Beekeepers.

Both of these clubs have continued monthly educational classes tailored to the needs of its members. This includes hands-on in the bee yards of both clubs where you can learn the proper way to handle your bees in a live hand-on environment. Something you just can’t get in a classroom. They are dedicated to making you successful in helping you, no matter if you are a backyard beekeeper or a commercial beekeeper. Make plans now to come, and let us start you on saving and helping what has been called the most important creature on the planet, the Honey Bee. Chris Erwin is the founder and publisher of Kentucky Angling News an online magazine available at www.kentuckyangling.com/magazine Chris can be reached by email Trimmer308@gmail.com