"The bee is honored... not because she labors, but because she labors for others." -St. John Chrysostom

Open to all interested:

Lean How to Keep Bees in 2025!

Carroll County Adult Ed
& The Winnipesaukee Beekeepers Association

A history & science course supporting New Hampshire’s farm and forest apiary resources. Keeping bees is not required but mentoring is included for those who decide to.

SPRING 2025 - Live & Recorded lessons
Tuesday & Thursday
6:30pm - 8pm ~ January 7 - April 24

SIGN UP INFO FOR SPRING 2025

Instructor: Athena Contus, Cornell University Certified Master Beekeeper & University of Montana Certified Master Beekeeper - Keeping bees 17 years in the Sandwich Mountain Range

$150 for an individual / $225 couples or Free for DIPLOMA students:
~ counts as a history credit ~

Online Payment Option

Includes:

  • A Field Guide to Honey Bees and Their Maladies
  • Book: Storey’s Guide To Keeping Honey Bees


(Supplied by CCAE - Please note: if you already have the books we cannot compensate you on the fee)

CALENDAR

Note: Zoom recordings of lessons will not be of the live class but a PowerPoint. To get the most out of the course. students should attend live sessions. Recorded Zoom lessons are monitored for attendance.

HISTORY - How we got here...

Jan 7 - Ancient Beekeeping

Jan 9 - Early American Beekeeping

Jan 14 - Bee Pollination Changes Farming

Jan 16 - Commercial Beekeeping in the U.S.

BIOLOGY & BEHAVIORS - Fascinating facts...

Jan 21 - Honey Bees - Vocabulary

Jan 23 - Honey bee Queens & Drones

Jan 28 - The Humble Worker Bee - Biology

COMMUNICATION

Jan 30 - Primer & Releaser Pheromones

Feb 4 - Duties bind a family of bees - Behaviors

Feb 6 - Natural Defences of the Honey Bee

DISEASES & PREDATORS

Feb 11 - Hive Pests & Predators

Feb 13 - Brood Diseases: Nurseries in Peril

Feb 18 - Hive Inspections & Tools of the Trade

Feb 20 - IPM for Honey Bees

EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS

Winter Recess February 24 - 28, 2025

Mar 4 - Building A Beehive

Mar 6 - Honey Bee Nutrition

Mar 11 - Getting Bees

Mar 13 - Honey Bees & Native Pollinators

Mar 18 - Beehive Styles

Mar 20 - Choosing a Location & Fencing

Mar 25 - Winter in the Hive

Mar 27 - Winter Hive Setup - Frame choices

APIARY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Apr 1 - The Beekeeper's Calendar

Apr 3 - Seasonal Duties - Spring

Apr 8 - Seasonal Duties - Fall

MOVING FORWARD IN BEEKEEPING

Apr 10 - Putting It All Together

Apr 15 - Natural Beekeeping Methods & History

Products of the Hive

Apr 17 - Honey Harvesting

Apr 22 - Beeswax & Propolis - Uses & Harvesting

Bee Clubs & Organizations

Apr 24 - Who's Who in New Hampshire Beekeeping - LAST DAY Q & A - Live Zoom Event



 

Contact Athena's Bees