Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association

Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association

Courses

Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association > News > Events > Courses

Beginners course 2024.

Welcome to our beginners Course.

The usual format – which we have found works well – is to give the basic theory & background in a series of Zoom talks before the season gets well under way. The Zoom talks may be recorded if you are unable to attend one of them: the talks are fully illustrated, and there will be an experienced beekeeper on hand to respond to any typed queries while the talk is in progress.

After each talk, we’ve allowed time for discussion and further queries.

By mid-late April, the colonies are getting quite active, so there’s a Practical Day with an apiary visit, introduction to the practical side of things such as suits, lighting smokers, making up frames, different hives, and a look at beekeeping equipment.

Hands-on learning: through the rest of the year, the Association apiary like any other, has to be managed: visits are every 10 days (half at weekends, half during the week) and we strongly recommend that you attend as many of these as you can. Guided by an experienced beekeeper, you will learn how to “read” the colony, handle bees, anticipate the colony’s needs, and help it thrive.

The course dates are as follows:

21st March Lesson 1 Honeybee Natural History (45mins); Chat (15mins)

28th March Lesson 2 Managing the Colony (45 mins); Chat (15mins)

4th April Lesson 3 Getting Started (20 mins): and Bee Health Varroa (25 mins); Chat (15mins)

11th April Lesson 4 The Beekeeping Year (45mins); Chat 15mins

18th April Lesson 5 Bee Health: Brood and Adult (45mins); Chat (15mins)

20th April Practical Day

25th April Lesson 6 Space for Review/catch up/Quiz/Chat 60mins

May (TBC) Lesson 7: Swarming possibly 9th/16th

August (TBC) Lesson 8 Honey Practical session on honey processing may also be arranged.

Venue: the talks are all on Zoom; the Practical Day will be held at Manor Village Hall.

Cost: £35 which also gives you membership of the Association for a year. You’ll get news, updates, access to speakers/events, hiring of some beekeeping equipment such as hive carrier and extractors, and information on how/where to acquire local bees.

How to book: https://www.peeblesbeekeepers.org.uk/membership/

Payment: £35.00 payable in advance by BACS to Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association

A/c No. 00703848, Sort Code 80-09-33; please put your name as a reference.

Or send a cheque for £35 made out to Peeblesshire Beekeepers, to Linda Haldane, PBKA Treasurer, Manortoun, Manor, Peebles EH45 9JN.

What do I need: wellies and rubber gloves such as “Marigold” type. We can lend you beesuits. For the practical day you will need to bring your lunch, but we will provide tea, coffee, biscuits.

Contacts: for most queries, contact secretary Mandy Clydesdale on 01721 720 563 / 07563 185 993 or .

About PBKA

Learning Beekeeping 2023 Week 1

Wednesday 15th March 7.30pm

Zoom Meeting ID: 972 7615 8511

The Honey Bee Colony

The beginner’s course is run as a refresher/beginners course – so whether you’re a complete beginner, or just feel a bit rusty, do get yourself booked in to the course. Each talk starts at 7.30pm, and will last an hour, with time afterwards for questions and chat.

In addition to the talks, there will be a practical hands-on day, to cover making up frames, lighting the smoker, introduction to equipment, a “virtual” hive, as well as hive visits to introduce you to practical management and handling.

Contact Peter Stevenson to receive the session password

Beekeeping: a course for beginners 2023.

Wanting to start beekeeping? Make sure you’re well-informed before you start, and avoid costly mistakes. Peeblesshire Beekeepers have been running beginners’ courses for 10 years.

Our course is partly online via Zoom (for talks on the theory) and partly practical. There’s a supervised practical day (learning to assemble a hive parts, handle bees, light the smoker etc) and throughout the year there are regular supervised visits to an apiary to enhance your skills and give you confidence.

The first talk is on 15th March, and there’s one a week, till our practical day on 22nd April. Then until March 2024, there are apiary visits to attend, so that you can participate in a whole beekeeping year.

The cost for the course is £35: this includes the talks, the practical day, demonstrations at the apiary (we can lend a beesuit): as well as one year’s membership of the Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association. Membership gives you access to advice and help, our winter talks, loan of some beekeeping equipment, and – if you’re ready to get started – the purchase of one of our small starter colonies (or “nucs”) of local bees at less than a commercial price.

For registration and payment options: https://www.peeblesbeekeepers.org.uk/?page_id=1591

Secretary: for further information: , or 07563 185 993.

Learning Beekeeping Online

Next Session Thursday 23rd April 7.30pm

Zoom Meeting ID: 945-4233-4493

The current restrictions mean that our usual beginners day event has had to be cancelled. However we would still like to offer training, help and advice to new beekeepers as best we can. So we will be running live online interactive lessons instead.

1. We will use video conferencing service Zoom https://zoom.us/.

It’s very easy to use on phone, tablet, laptop or PC – instructions here:- https://www.peeblesbeekeepers.org.uk/?attachment_id=1485

The sessions will be password protected so you must contact Peter Stevenson at least 1 hour before the start of the session with your contact email address or mobile phone number so that you can be sent the password.

2. There will be a 1 hour session each week on a different aspect of beekeeping. This will be interactive so participants can ask questions via audio or text chat. It may be possible to share documents, photos etc as well.

Initially we will schedule 4 sessions but we will consider adding additional sessions if there is a demand.

3. Lessons will be free of charge but participants could make an optional donation to the association.

Suggested donation is £10 per household for non PBKA members. Anyone who pays the full amount will become a full member of the Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association on completion of a membership form.

4. If current restrictions are lightened or lifted we will continue the course on site at the association apiary.

At the apiary
At the apiary

Beginners Course Sat 27th April

Peeblesshire Beekeepers Beginners Course 2019

 

If you are thinking of keeping bees or just want to find out a bit more about this fascinating hobby, you are welcome to come along to our beginners day.

This years course will be held on Saturday 27th April 2019. Meet at 9.30am for 10am start. Finish approximately 4.30pm.

The venue will be at Manor Village Hall, Kirkton Manor, near Peebles. Location Map

There will be presentations, practical demos and, weather permitting, a visit to the association apiary.

The course will cost £35 per person to cover instruction, refreshments, equipment and a years membership of PBKA.

After completing the day course, hives at the association apiary will be available for hands on experience throughout the season with support from experienced local beekeepers.

For enquiries, please contact the association secretary in the first instance.

Mandy Clydesdale Secretary Tel: 01721 720563 Mob: 07563 185993

 

Inspecting a hive