As working with bees is working with our environment - Each day is based on weather forecasts and parts may be interchanged.
Our unbelievable week together will cover the following:
- Beekeeping on the Mid North Coast
- Understanding the intimate life of a honeybee/ native bees
- Biology of the honeybee/ native bees
- The Importance of natural comb
- Getting set-up for beekeeping: buying bees, making hive boxes & equipment
- Site and Forage Assessment
- Forms required for keeping bees
- Handling bees gently and confidently
- Ensuring the ongoing health of your colony
- Pests & Diseases
- Swarming
- Raw honey & comb harvesting techniques
- Products of the hive and harvesting techniques
- Honey appreciation
- Cooking and fermenting with honey
- Working with hive products
- Planting a bee-friendly garden
- Situating beehives in urban areas – backyards & rooftops
- Making a native bee hotel
- Selected advanced beekeeping practices as identified by participants.
Day 1: Orientation/ Overview for the week, theory session on bees/ life cycle, opening and inspection of Honey Bee Hive. Theory – pests and diseases.
Day 2:, Thorough inspection of a honeybee hive, extraction of honey, overview of different types of hives and constructions techniques – Honeybee Hive construction (this may flow onto day 4)
Day 3: Native bee theory, native bee hive inspection and splitting, extraction of Honey
Day 4: Harvesting and working with hive products. Native Bee hotel construction and Stingless hive construction.
Day 5: Advanced beekeeping skills identified during the week by participants – queen rearing, splitting hives, winter/ spring box rotations, resource sharing
Please feel free to contact Steven & Trudi on buzz@littlestar.net.au for more information