We've taken two beekeeping intro classes so far.
First of all, our local beekeeping club, The Johnson County Beekeeper's Association, had a 2-day Beekeeping 101 class. The first day was all day on a Saturday, and the second was 2-3 hours on the next Thursday. This was just enough information to get me more interested in the hobby, but not near comfortable enough to start caring for my own bees. The fee for this class also included membership to the club for a year (that's smart). So, we'll be attending their monthly meetings and getting to know other keepers in the area. I already know a few people from work that keep bees, so I'll have plenty of help when I need it.
The second class was a one day class put on by Camp Valor Outdoors, which is an organization for Veterans an does a lot of hunting and fishing trips for local Vets. They started keeping bees on their lodge property 5 years ago, and offer classes free for vets to get them into the hobby. They have learned that keeping bees can be very therapeutic and helps a lot of vets with PTSD and other issues. They also sell their honey and all the profits go back into the bee programs for veterans (like providing new keepers with a free hive and set of bees). He said he wanted to give me the hive and bees this year to get me started, but I still don't feel ready to start. At the end of that day, we went into their bee yard and opened up the hives to check on their status. It was a really cool experience getting into the hives, holding a frame full of bees, and hearing them buzz all around you. As odd as it sounds, I found it to be very calming.
First of all, our local beekeeping club, The Johnson County Beekeeper's Association, had a 2-day Beekeeping 101 class. The first day was all day on a Saturday, and the second was 2-3 hours on the next Thursday. This was just enough information to get me more interested in the hobby, but not near comfortable enough to start caring for my own bees. The fee for this class also included membership to the club for a year (that's smart). So, we'll be attending their monthly meetings and getting to know other keepers in the area. I already know a few people from work that keep bees, so I'll have plenty of help when I need it.
The second class was a one day class put on by Camp Valor Outdoors, which is an organization for Veterans an does a lot of hunting and fishing trips for local Vets. They started keeping bees on their lodge property 5 years ago, and offer classes free for vets to get them into the hobby. They have learned that keeping bees can be very therapeutic and helps a lot of vets with PTSD and other issues. They also sell their honey and all the profits go back into the bee programs for veterans (like providing new keepers with a free hive and set of bees). He said he wanted to give me the hive and bees this year to get me started, but I still don't feel ready to start. At the end of that day, we went into their bee yard and opened up the hives to check on their status. It was a really cool experience getting into the hives, holding a frame full of bees, and hearing them buzz all around you. As odd as it sounds, I found it to be very calming.
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