Registration for 2009 RI beekeeping schools

The following is a press release from the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association:

The Rhode Island Beekeepers Association teaches beginner beekeeping classes every year in March.This year there will be two bee schools; one at the William M. Davies Career and Technical High School in Lincoln and the other at the East Farm at the University of Rhode Island.

2009 Bee School Schedule for Davies Tech
Wednesday evenings on March 4 to April 1, 2009 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Instructor: Betty Mencucci

Directions: William M. Davies Career and Technical High School, Jenckes Hill Road, Lincoln, Rhode Island. (The school is located on Rt 123 right next to CCRI in Lincoln. From the south, take 146 north and take the exit for Rt 123 - Breakneck Hill Road. At the end of the ramp turn left, go over Rt 146 and go a few hundred feet to a stop light. Go straight ahead. The Davies School is just ahead on the left. There is a large parking lot. Enter the school through the main entrance and look for signs. If you're coming from the north, Rt 146 south, take the Rt. 123 exit and take a right at the end of the ramp).

2009 Bee School Schedule - URI East Farm
Wednesday evenings on February 25 to March 25 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.
Instructor: Mark Robar

Directions: The entrance to East Farm is located on route 108 about 6/10 of a mile south from the light at the intersection of Route 138 and 108. Classes will be held in building # 75.

Cost: $50 per person, plus $5 per person for each additional family member from the same household

Topics covered include:

Getting started
The honeybee life cycle
Choosing an apiary
Buying bees and equipment
Installing package bees
Catching Swarms
Bee diseases and pests
Spring Inspections
Getting ready for the honeyflow
Wintering bees

There will be a variety of beekeeping equipment displayed and demontrated each week. Beekeeping catalogs and other handouts will be distributed and several beekeeping videos will be shown.

Once you sign up to attend the class, you will also become a member of the Rhode Island Beekeeping Association where you will receive the Association's monthly newsletters with tips and information on beekeeping in the Rhode Island area. The Association has monthly meetings at various locations in the state where you will get to meet other beekeepers and participate in the Association's activities.

Why do people keep bees? It insures that you will always have good pollination in your gardens. It's a good hobby for people who love nature and enjoy watching and learning about bees and the flowers they pollinate and gather nectar from. Some people keep bees because they love honey! Some people even keep bees because they have arthritis and wish to get stung to alleviate arthritic symptoms.

Registration forms may be downloaded from the Association's website:
http://www.ribeekeeper.org/beeschools2009.php

The new RIBA class at East Farm

The East Farm school completed its second week last night and the room has been filled to capacity with 45 attentive and enthusiastic students. The classes have been enjoyable and informative under the leadership of volunteer instructors Mark Robar of Trail's End Farm, and Louis Chasse of Arson Alley Apiary.

For last night's gathering RIBA member and one of this year's presidential candidates, Everett Zurlinden, assembled a power point presentation to accompany Mark's lecture. Louis donated his materials and expertise and led the students in a hands-on frame-making demonstration. It was so much fun to watch the students work with Louis that Everett documented the session with these photographs taken on his mobile phone.

Beekeepers Celeste and Ed have also generously offered their assistance during the classes, too. And it's been great fun to see them there!

Tentative Course Outline for East Farm Beekeeping School

Mark Robar has permitted us to publish his tentative syllabus for the upcoming beekeeping school, sponsored by the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association (R.I.B.A.), to be held at U.R.I.'s East Farm starting at the end of February. There could be some last minute changes to the course listing, so please keep that in mind if you are planning to attend.

Some time ago Mark mentioned he would like to invite Louis J. Chasse of North Kingstown, proprietor of Arson Alley Apiary, to demonstrate equipment assembly. Like Mark, Louis is also very generous with his beekeeping knowledge and experiences. If he is going to appear at East Farm, we'll let you know!

R.I.B.A's East Farm Beekeeping School, 2008 Syllabus
Feb. 27th
Introduction to R.I.B.A.
Brief history
Why do we keep bees ?
The honey bee colony
Basic beekeeping terminology
Basic beekeeping equipment

March 5th
Excerpts from The Honey Harvest (video)
Choosing an apiary site
Acquiring equipment
Construction of equipment
Purchasing bees

March 12th
Feeding bees
Bee swarms
Supercedure
Re-queening

March 19th
Honey bee pest and diseases (video)
Treatments or IPM's for pests & diseases
(Video)

March 26th
Preparing for the honey flow
Supering
Extracting and comb honey
Fall feeding & IPM's
Wintering
Spring Inspections
Spring flower (video)

New beekeeping school in South County

South County residents who are interested in learning about beekeeping will now have the opportunity to attend courses in the local area, thanks to Mark Robar of Trail's End Farm, the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association, the University of Rhode Island, and several volunteers.

RIBA has presented classes annually at the William M. Davies Career and Technical High School, known in Rhode Island as Davies VoTech. As interest in bees and beekeeping has grown nearly exponentially the class sizes have, too. In 2007 students and beekeepers in the southern part of the state petitioned the Association for a second location, and this year classes will be offered at URI's East Farm, a 70-acre complex on Route 108. The plan at the moment is for the classes to run for five weeks beginning on Wednesday evening, 27 February 2008, from 6:30-9 PM.

The course outline is being finalized and will be available here soon.