Beekeeping Classes

Once you’ve mastered the art of chicken keeping-then what?

Well, Bpaul says in his Portland based blog, that he believes “Portland’s next urban self sufficiency/food production movement is going to be bees.” And as an avid supporter of the local food movement, I’m also intrigued by a move toward urban self sufficiency!

Photo: TW Collins | Bee-hind the times…

It appears I am not alone in my excitement, either. Just this week I have responded to several inquiries from TeachStreeters asking about local classes. So I thought I’d share some on-line resources on the subject, as well as some great bee keeping classes available on TeachStreet.

History of Bees, Honey, and Hives

Beekeeping was traditionally practiced for the bees’ honey harvest, but in more recent years, hive products like pollen, royal jelly, and propolis have been used for nutritional and medicinal purposes as well. Beeswax has also seen a resurgence in popularity for its role in making candles, cosmetics, wood polish, and encaustics. Who knew?

Langstroth Hives

I also discovered there are a number of different hives, but it seems like the most commonly used one in the US is the Langstroth hive. The Langstroth was the first successful top-opened hive with movable frames, and other designs of hive have been based on it.

Top-Bar Hives

Another hive design growing in popularity is the Top-Bar hive. This hive is well suited to urban backyard bees since it’s considered a chemical free, small-scale form of beekeeping using simple equipment that almost any bee enthusiast can assemble at home.

There are many variations of the Top Bar hive, but all have the essential guiding principle of simple construction and management since there is no need for any other equipment or storage space, other than that provided within the hive itself. I know anything that’s low maintenance and simple to construct is definitely up my alley!

Photo: Antonio Machado | Macro Bee

When can you harvest the honey?
In the Northern Hemisphere, urban beekeepers may harvest honey from the hive between July and October, depending on honey flows in their area. Good management requires keeping the hive free of pests and disease, and ensuring the bee colony has room in the hive to expand. Success for the backyard beekeeper also depends on locating the apiary so that bees have a good nectar source and pollen source throughout the year.

Beekeeping Classes
If you’re interested in taking the next step toward becoming a backyard beekeeper, there are plenty of ways to learn beekeeping in the Seattle or Portland areas. Here are just a few classes to whet your appetite and be sure to check back often as new classes get added to TeachStreet everyday.

Here are just a few Portland beekeeping classes offered by Ruhl Bee Supply

• Beekeeping for Beginners
• Maintaining Bee Health in the Northwest

And, a great Seattle beekeping class offered by Seattle Free School:

• Beekeeping in the City

Watching these industrious and gentle creatures establish their hive will surely be a relaxing and fascinating experience. Happy Honey Harvesting!