Last year, there were 50 new Apprentices graduated for the first Bee College. There were an additional 60 or so new beekeepers for the college. Thinking that there would be even more for the next college, the powers that be decided to start another section of the college to relieve the congestion by having a fall coarse and we had approximately 20-25 more students take the apprentice tests. Then we had about 60 additional people attend the workshop portion.

The subjects covered were: Bad News – Beekeepers keep losing apiary sites due to Urbanization; Good News – State Agencies and Water Management opens more land for apiary sites; Advances in non pesticide control for honeybees; Florida’s role in food safety for honey packing; Africanized bees in the bee yard and how to cope; Pest control operators and their role in protecting the public from the Africanized bees; Pollination from the growers viewpoint; Florida research for the Florida beekeeper, just to name a few.

We also had a day in the bee yard at Dadant’s bee supply house in High Springs just 20 miles north of Gainesville, FL. That is where we split up for the various classes so the classes would not be too big. There were classes on Candle Making and Beauty Products; Wooden ware and how to put it together and How to Make Frames and Foundation to Last; Queen Rearing and Introducing Queens into Colonies; Fall and Winter management;  Identifying Pests and Diseases.

There were smaller groups of two’s or three’s talking one on one with the experienced beekeepers. It was a very well planned segment of the workshop. Lots and lots of information was given and received.

Jerry and Joanne Latner opened the supply house for sales on the spot for the participants. There were bargains to be had that day.

If you get a chance to go to a workshop, either local or state, then you really could have some fun and learn a thing or two.

Now is the time to check your honey and pollen weight of your hives. You may need to start feeding.