Beekeeping courses?

[Mujician]

Hi, I want some bees! I got me a little book the other day, bees at the bottom of the garden. There's some useful info in there and also a lot of stuff I assumed too. However, I like to have hands on experience. I'm aware that beekeeping courses exist, and I have also found out they vary in cost greatly. I was told a local BKA offers a days course for £20, and I've also found a website offering a two day course for about £350!
So, I live in Ilkeston Derbyshire, I can drive, could you recommend anywhere that might do a course that doesn't cost the earth. Or even better still, is there someone local to me that might be able to take me under their wing?

 

[drstitson]

local association 10 week winter courses likely to be reasonable price.

commercial courses will attract commercial fees.

 

[Luminos]

You could put a post in the Mentorship section of the forum: Beekeeping Education - Mentorship offered/wanted

 

[For want of a better word]

Suggest you read fairly widely before you "Go on a course"........ that way you will realise that beekeepering has many within it who maintain myths and doctrine probably is best mused over and not administered to your bees!

100s of books to read... mostly available from you local library on special order!

IMO don't read just one book... or go on one course!

 

[simonrp]

Your local bka is probably your best bet for both courses and mentorship.
You will have to be patient though, not much happens before the spring because hives will not be opened in cold weather so it is not possible to deliver any practical input.
Carry on reading!

 

[Mujician]

I'm waiting for a reply from Derbyshire BKA. Thanks

 

[itma]

...
IMO don't read just one book... or go on one course!

Your local bka is probably your best bet for both courses and mentorship.
You will have to be patient though, not much happens before the spring because hives will not be opened in cold weather so it is not possible to deliver any practical input.
Carry on reading!

This is very sound advice.

 

[alanf]

Hi, I want some bees! I got me a little book the other day, bees at the bottom of the garden. There's some useful info in there and also a lot of stuff I assumed too. However, I like to have hands on experience. I'm aware that beekeeping courses exist, and I have also found out they vary in cost greatly. I was told a local BKA offers a days course for £20, and I've also found a website offering a two day course for about £350!...

The Alan Campion book is good prep. Local BKA courses run from free (included in first year's membership) to 80-90 pounds. Lecturing is usually voluntary, i.e. unpaid so the cost depends largely on whether they hire rooms or projectors, buy in course materials, how many nights or weekends and so on. Some BKAs subsidise the course, there are a few who use the course fees to subsidise the BKA. What any course can do is get you some local contacts and potentially access to a collected swarm next spring which is how many start.

 

[beekim]

Hi i did a course at the derbyshire wash lands center this year 6 days held over weekends a very good course £50.00 i have no contact details but you might find it on a internet search.