Intro to Beekeeping Course

I have been obsessed with bees and honey for years. I have read Honeybee Democracy by Thomas Seeley at least three times. Honey bees are freaking amazing! I was waitlisted on a beekeeping course at John C. Campbell Folk School, but sadly, I didn’t get in. The good news is I am registered for the course in April 2025 with Virginia Webb. So, I jumped at it when I got to do a few hours of private beekeeping with the resident beekeeper at the Miraval Resort in the Berkshires. The resident beekeeper and I hit it off, and we then spent 3 hours together. My first visit to the hive was epic. I knew it was special, and now that I am meeting more amazing beekeepers, my suspicions are confirmed. I HAVE to be a beekeeper! Here is a summary:

I inspected a hive and got lucky because this hive was thriving and ready for a new box! I was nervous because I had done so much research into beekeeping that I thought, “What if buzzing bees freak me out????” But – fear not – I LOVED IT!! It felt amazing.

We inspected the hive, I learned what mites look like, we added a new box, and we collected frames to harvest honey. So many wins – what an amazing day!

After this, we moved to the kitchen to extract the honey. Turns out that no other guest has ever been able to do this. But I got lucky since I came in with so much knowledge and connected with the resident beekeeper. So, put on your gloves and get ready for the sticky shit – I mean stuff – I mean glorious golden honey!

We headed to the kitchen and set up to extract the honey. Boy, was it incredible! Trust me – you want to do this, so add it to your bucket list. You will thank me (thank me with honey, please!). So we started with me learning how to use the hot knife and extractor. This is harder than you would think! Especially when you want to save every drop of honey possible!!

So, what do I do next – after enjoying the honey I harvested? Well, par for the AGN course, I decided I needed to research this hobby (besides the books I have read – book smart means nothing, after all!). First step – join a club. Check – I joined MABA (Metro Atlanta Beekeeping Association) and found a mentor. Way to go, AGN! (My virtual “pat on the back before I screw up and kill poor bees in this new hobby!”). Then, I joined a conference, the Georgia Beekeeping Convention, and attended all the sessions. Then, I spent several months researching, having club meetings, and anxiously planning. I have found my new hives and am registered for another February and a week-long course in April. Bees are coming, so get ready for sweet honey! Interested in beekeeping – reach out!