OUR NEXT COURSE WILL BEGIN IN FEBRUARY 2025
The purpose of the course is to educate and make one realise that there is a lot of work involved with looking after honey bees. Honey bees are wild animals and it is important to learn how to handle them, when to open a colony and how to go about this properly. We will address these issues in the course which comprises 6 lectures plus apiary visits, where small groups of you will visit our new apiary with experienced beekeepers to get some hands on practical experience. Not all honey bee colonies are well tempered and to open a hive with no experience can lead to all sorts of trouble.
The country is not short of honey bees and a lot of the media publicity given to the shortage of bees relates to bumble bees and other solitary bees. In fact, in some areas there are too many honey bees, resulting in a shortage of forage for all pollinators, which can cause stress in the colony and that can lead to an ecological imbalance.
If you are concerned with the plight of bees the best thing to do is to plant lots of bee friendly plants and put up wild bee boxes. By providing nesting sites and forage you will encourage many more bees and other pollinators to your garden/area.
Having said all that beekeeping can be a fascinating hobby but one has to be dedicated and be prepared to learn. In fact one never stops learning about bees and beekeeping.
The course is open mainly to those living within Fife and there will be a limited number of places on the course so it is important to register as early as possible. Registration will close on the 31st December 2024. If the number of applicants exceeds the restricted number then their names will be entered on a waiting list.
The tutors on this course are all experienced and qualified beekeepers.
Those wishing to take the beekeeping further will be allocated a mentor who will arrange times and dates when you can visit his/her bees.
The mentor will take you through all that is involved in opening and inspecting a hive giving you the opportunity of plenty of ‘hands on’ experience.
One thing that will be emphasized during the course is the importance of NOT PURCHASING BEES ONLINE. You will get the opportunity of purchasing local bees. Do not get bees or spend money on equipment until you have experienced handling bees and have decided that you are prepared to spend the time and look after them properly.
All lectures take place throughout February, March and April at either St David’s Centre, St Andrews or at our new apiary on the Balcaskie Estate.
Course dates and details to be announced later.
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