Beekeeping Classes

2013, Updated March 23, 2013

Ray Lackey, 1260 Walnut Ave. Bohemia NY 11716-2176
Phone: (631)567-1936 email:lackeyray@tianca.com

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Sorry, enrollment is over for 2013. We start registration in December. The text below gives an idea of what is offered but be aware that the places and days of classes vary from year to year. We locate possible venues and post a tentative schedule and only go forward with those classes that have enough enrollments. If you would like to be on the mailing list for next year’s classes, please fill out and email the form below. I am happy to provide the education to groups who want to organize a class.

TAKE A BASIC BEEKEEPING COURSE AND BE READY TO KEEP YOUR OWN BEES!

Master Beekeeper Ray Lackey, Long Island Beekeepers Club, is offering a number of beekeeping courses in 2013 for the absolute beginner, novice beekeeper. We are planning a number of different locations and meeting schedules so that you can pick the one that is best for your schedule and/or area. Our instructor has been keeping bees on Long Island for 28 years. He regularly speaks at garden clubs, schools and bee clubs on beekeeping and bees.

We have two different novice class formats: 1) One-day Crash Course, 7.5 hours class-time, 8:15 AM to 4:15 PM on a Saturday. 2) Season-long Class - Monthly evening class of 1.5 hours, often preceded by an hour in the bee yard, over 9-months, February through October, following the bee year.

First year costs for starting a bee hive are approximately $600. Help ensure your success and preserve your investment by taking a class to get you started right! We must have at least 15 at a site to continue with that class so pick a class and tell your friends! If the class is cancelled due to insufficient registration, I will contact you with option of other classes or tear up check. No checks will be deposited until the class is a go.

Crash Course: This is a condensation of the season-long class without any bee yard time. You can take the course to improve your beekeeping, start your bees this year or in preparation for a possible future start. The fee is $125, including text book, Pizza lunch and snacks at breaks. If you are taking the season long course but want an up-front summary so that you know what you are getting into, or if you have taken the season-long class and want a review, cost is $75 to attend this class (no book provided).

Session NCRS3 (Novice CRash Saturday) – March 23, 2013. 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Avalon Park Nature Center, ~80 Shep Jones Lane, Saint James, NY 11780.

Season-long Class - The fee is $250 for the entire course of approximately 30 hours, including text book. You can take the course to improve your beekeeping, start your bees this year in parallel with the class or in preparation for a possible future start. Pick the session that best fits your schedule and location. Class comments from last year emphasized the benefit of the bee yard time.

Lesson 1:  February - The Honeybees and Their Home - We will talk about equipment and bee purchase at this meeting and orders can be placed for the bees.  Some of the suggested vendors offer free shipping. If you are sure that you want to start this year, you can order bees or recommended equipment at the links embedded.

Lesson 2:  March – Starting a Hive of Bees & Overwintered Colony Revival

Lesson 3:  April – Colony Buildup & Introduction to Pests & Diseases Bees should arrive before these classes and we will either have a special meeting on a Saturday to install or do so at these yard classes.

Lesson 4:  May – Honey Production and Processing

Lesson 5:  June – Queen Replacement

Lesson 6:  July – Fall Preparation

Lesson 7:  August – Winter Preparation

Lesson 8:  September – Spring Preparation

Lesson 9:  October – Record Keeping or Things I Should Have Done!

Classes Offered at this time:

Session NMET (Novice Monthly Evenings Tuesday) – Third Tuesday of the month, Class time 7-8:30 PM, February through October, Cornell University, Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center, 3059 Sound Ave., Riverhead, NY  11901 (intersection  of Horton Ave. and Sound Ave). Outside Bee yard meeting at 6 PM, before classroom time, April through September.

Session NMMS (Novice Monthly Morning Saturday) – Third Saturday Morning of the month, Class time 10:00 -11:30 AM, February through October, : 1260 Walnut Avenue, Bohemia, NY 11716. Outside Bee yard meeting at 9 AM, before classroom time, April through September.

If you want to sign up for a class, send a check made out to “Sweet Pines Apiary”, to the following address: 1260 Walnut Avenue, Bohemia, NY 11716-2176, indicating which class, providing name, address, phone numbers, email address and describe your beekeeping background and goals. I will especially need to know if you plan on starting a hive this year and need assistance in getting the bees and equipment. If you are planning on starting a hive, we are ordering bees from the south (NOW!) and will have them delivered in April. 

You can also respond with the required information via email and send the check separately and I will register you with the email, pending receipt of check unless we hit the class limit in which case we will use rule of first paid, first accepted to confirm your registration so we can notify those that did not get the location they desired. We will be using the book “Beekeeping Basics” from Penn State and will provide the book at the first class.

In supplying registration information, please complete this form (preferably, set email format to either Rich Text or HTML, copy and paste into your email to save manual entry and potential errors) and print a copy to send with check:

Email to: lackeyray@tianca.com

Name, Last:

Name, First:

Mailing address:

City:

State:

Zip:

Principle Phone:

Cell if different:

Email address:

Beekeeping experience:

Beekeeping class of interest:

Starting bees this year?

To use the form, you must set format to either Rich Text or HTML.

Please send check to cover class for which you are registering.

Potential Season-long Novice Class Schedule - 2013
	Cornell University’s Research Center, Riverhead	Lackey Home Yard, Bohemia
	Third Tuesday of the month	Third Saturday of the month
	7:00 -8:30 PM **	10:00 -11:30 AM **
February	Tuesday, February 19, 2013	Saturday, February 16, 2013
March	Tuesday, March 19, 2013	Saturday, March 16, 2013
April	Tuesday, April 16, 2013	Saturday, April 20, 2013
May	Tuesday, May 21, 2013	Saturday, May 18, 2013
June	Tuesday, June 18, 2013	Saturday, June 15, 2013
July	Tuesday, July 16, 2013	Saturday, July 20, 2013
August	Tuesday, August 20, 2013	Saturday, August 17, 2013
September	Tuesday, September 17, 2013	Saturday, September 21, 2013
October	Tuesday, October 15, 2013	Saturday, October 19, 2013
	Novice class students can attend a different novice class if they cannot attend their regular class that month without any notification.
	Be very careful, meetings are scheduled on the third XX of the month and your class may be out of sequence.
	**Yard Classes meet an hour earlier on days of classes April through September.