Beekeeping course

[B+.]

I've been asked to give a course on beekeeping to a small group of people (assume no prior knowledge although 1 or 2 people may have some exposure to bees).
To be honest, I'm a bit out of my depth as it has been many years since I did the BBKA basic exam. What should I include? What should I leave out? How long should I devote to each topic?
The idea is that I should leave them fairly self-sufficient at the end of it although I would be available to mentor them via phone/skype (they are probably an hour or so away from me and it isn't practical to jump in a car to go help whenever they have a problem/question). I have suggested that they attend a local group who offer ready-made courses, but, they prefer to keep it "in the family" since I have a long relationship with the group.
I'd appreciate your input, particularly from anyone who has recently taken beginner training. What did you find helpful? What was missing from your training that you needed? Are there any ready-made course outlines that I could adapt? What should I charge?
Many thanks

 

[beesbeesbees]

Ok so I'd advise starting with therory such as the difference between honeybees and other insects then move on to the castes then do life cycles and worker jobs then some foraging and honey production then do disease and IPM then explain the full therory of swarming and mating and the arrangement of the brood nest(an observation hive may be helpful for this last bit if possible), this concludes section one(the theory of beekeeping) next do hives and hive design then encourage and advise the students to get a beehive, then cover how to inspect a hive(e.g smoker hive tool use)then cover the beekeeping year in full this concludes section two, then do controlled practical work(take them to your apiary and teach them about inspections) this concludes section three and now your students are ready to get some bees, I advise that you make sure the bees they are getting are not too difficult to keep(non swarmy non aggressive) or supply them yourself.

I find that digital contact is usually enough to mentor over(from a mentees perspective) but with a group that size inevitably one of them will get themselves in a situ when they cannot deal with it at least once so be prepared to drive there about once a season

 

[B+.]

Ok so I'd advise starting with therory such as the difference between honeybees and other insects then move on to the castes then do life cycles and worker jobs then some foraging and honey production then do disease and IPM then explain the full therory of swarming and mating and the arrangement of the brood nest(an observation hive may be helpful for this last bit if possible), this concludes section one(the theory of beekeeping) next do hives and hive design then encourage and advise the students to get a beehive, then cover how to inspect a hive(e.g smoker hive tool use)then cover the beekeeping year in full this concludes section two, then do controlled practical work(take them to your apiary and teach them about inspections) this concludes section three and now your students are ready to get some bees, I advise that you make sure the bees they are getting are not too difficult to keep(non swarmy non aggressive) or supply them yourself.

I find that digital contact is usually enough to mentor over(from a mentees perspective) but with a group that size inevitably one of them will get themselves in a situ when they cannot deal with it at least once so be prepared to drive there about once a season

Thank you.
The plan is to establish a 2-hive apiary so the groundwork work (preparing the site) will be done before next spring. I will present the training over the winter.
They have an adequate budget for equipment so making equipment may not be such a priority. I would provide the bees next year with queens from my own stock - so they will start with gentle/healthy/productive bees.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I've been asked to give a course on beekeeping to a small group of people (assume no prior knowledge although 1 or 2 people may have some exposure to bees).
To be honest, I'm a bit out of my depth as it has been many years since I did the BBKA basic exam. What should I include? What should I leave out? How long should I devote to each topic?
The idea is that I should leave them fairly self-sufficient at the end of it although I would be available to mentor them via phone/skype (they are probably an hour or so away from me and it isn't practical to jump in a car to go help whenever they have a problem/question). I have suggested that they attend a local group who offer ready-made courses, but, they prefer to keep it "in the family" since I have a long relationship with the group.
I'd appreciate your input, particularly from anyone who has recently taken beginner training. What did you find helpful? What was missing from your training that you needed? Are there any ready-made course outlines that I could adapt? What should I charge?
Many thanks

I'm probably opening a can of worms here but how long do you envisage the course will be?
Exposing learners to more than a couple of hours at a sitting makes for reduced absorption of information. Prior to retirement I've delivered electrical training over five day courses but each classroom sitting limited to two hours with evening self study between the days (practical is generally ok in longer bites).
By way of comparison our association beginners course is spread over 6 evening sessions of a couple of hours. It's delivered with the aid of power point, printed material and hive parts. As to pricing - for paid up members there is no charge.
I'm not a fan of "beekeeping in a day" courses where candidates part with around £100 and are subjected to a stream of "teaching" then come away with ideas jumbled up in their heads. I've encountered a couple of newbies in this state and it takes quite a bit of doing (and patience) to unscramble their ideas.
If your local association delivers worthwhile training I suggest you push your group a bit more forcefully into joining them.

 

[B+.]

I'm not a fan of "beekeeping in a day" courses where candidates part with around £100 and are subjected to a stream of "teaching" then come away with ideas jumbled up in their heads.

I agree.
I usually wouldn't dream of charging this group, but, they've insisted that I charge something. My travel expenses alone would be about £35. I would really only ask for a "day-rate" rather than a cost/ student. This, combined with the time required to get there, suggests a few day (or half-day) sessions. I am very much aware that retention suffers if people are given too much to handle and that it should be "fun".
I have just verified with Thornes that the hives will be 14*12 Nationals to ensure compatibility with other equipment within the group.

 

[wightbees]

Why are you traveling? I would of thought trainees would travel to you. That's how most courses work.

 

[coffindodger]

I agree with all the comments above. As a beginner, I took a basic course one year and an improvers the second year. I'm used to teaching and learning, but found the second year confusing with too many variations of technique, for example, we were shown several ways of making splits on the same evening. One well-understood method would have been much better to get us up and running. KISS is the key.

 

[B+.]

One well-understood method would have been much better to get us up and running. KISS is the key.

Thank you. I agree with the KISS principle. I want the group to work independently so they should not be confused what to do when.
What were the most important leaning points for you?

 

[mr_so]

FWIW these are the main subject areas we covered in the 'basic' course I did a few years ago. The course consisted of eight sessions of about two hours each and were fortnightly.

Honey bees and other insects.
The Colony.
Swarms.
The Beekeeping Year.
The Hive.
Plants & Hive Products.
Pests & Diseases.
Getting Started.

 

[Poly Hive]

I am putting together a program for an 8 evening course lasting 16 hours for my local authority.

I came across this and found it just what I was needing as a foundation to both build on and to modify.

https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/learn/study-notes

1 through 8 I have printed off and am going through them to suit my format.

May assist.

The hardest thing is to remember most have never seen a hive let alone an open one nor are they sure what a bee even looks like so KISS is utterly crucial.

PH

 

[Millet]

Thank you.
The plan is to establish a 2-hive apiary so the groundwork work (preparing the site) will be done before next spring. I will present the training over the winter.
They have an adequate budget for equipment so making equipment may not be such a priority. I would provide the bees next year with queens from my own stock - so they will start with gentle/healthy/productive bees.

I don't believe you..

 

[B+.]

I don't believe you..

What do you mean?

 

[Millet]

What do you mean?

You know what i mean, i asked you for help 2yrs and you fobbed me off again and this year you did the same you then say you have killed 5 queens you did not need and then you offer colonies to folk with your calm mated Queen,s for your benefit , it may be a feel good factor to you but it is a piss take to me.

 

[B+.]

You know what i mean, i asked you for help 2yrs and you fobbed me off again and this year you did the same you then say you have killed 5 queens you did not need and then you offer colonies to folk with your calm mated Queen,s for your benefit , it may be a feel good factor to you but it is a piss take to me.

So, on the basis of some imagined discrimination, you suggest that my bees aren't healthy (despite the fact that they were inspected by Peter Folge, sbi just over a week ago)?
Grow up. I don't need to explain what I do with my bees to you, or anyone else!

 

[Millet]

So, on the basis of some imagined discrimination, you suggest that my bees aren't healthy (despite the fact that they were inspected by Peter Folge, sbi just over a week ago)?
Grow up. I don't need to explain what I do with my bees to you, or anyone else!

Paranoia or your behalf maybe, you grow up and please try no to extract the urine from me. I needed help and you fobbed me of, end of..

 

[B+.]

Paranoia or your behalf maybe, you grow up and please try no to extract the urine from me. I needed help and you fobbed me of, end of..

You have it all wrong.

When I said "Pity: I just squished 3 unmarked queens this morning" (https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=40141, post #9) they were virgins - all my queens emerge in the incubator and are marked with disks on their thorax so they can be tracked. These didn't have theirs.
Don't be so quick to judge. There was no wind-up.

 

[Poly Hive]

Are some things better discussed in private possibly?

PH

 

[maddydog]

You have it all wrong.

When I said "Pity: I just squished 3 unmarked queens this morning" .

I'll take anymore virgins (marked or otherwise) that are due for a squeeze off your hands and pay for your trouble! My own queen rearing efforts are not going well

 

[B+.]

I'll take anymore virgins (marked or otherwise) that are due for a squeeze off your hands and pay for your trouble! My own queen rearing efforts are not going well

I don't think you understand. Since my queens are marked in the incubator, any that I find that are not marked could have come from anywhere (they may be the worst bees imaginable). That's why I squash them. It's quality control.
A nuc that is left queenless after a mated queen is removed is desperate for a queen. They will take any passing queen out for a mating flight and guide her back to their nuc.

 

[manek]

I'm not a fan of "beekeeping in a day" courses where candidates part with around £100 and are subjected to a stream of "teaching" then come away with ideas jumbled up in their heads. I've encountered a couple of newbies in this state and it takes quite a bit of doing (and patience) to unscramble their ideas.

At the risk of starting another argument , I went on just such a course a couple of years back and found it incredibly helpful. It allowed me to decide whether I really wanted to become a beekeeper, for a start, and gave me an overview of what was needed.

Obviously, give my limited experience (just 12 months now), I see myself only at the start of a wonderful journey but without the very basics covered to kick-start hours of enjoyable research (here, elsewhere on the net, my local BKA, books etc), I wouldn't have got as far as I have (however far that is!).

So I'd content that, for some people, a one-day concentrated basics course is just what's needed...