How Do I Start Beekeeping? Have you ever dreamed of harvesting your own pure, golden honey? Are you looking for a deeply rewarding hobby that connects you to nature and supports our vital pollinators? Beekeeping is a fascinating journey, but getting started can feel overwhelming. This course is designed to eliminate the confusion and give you the confidence to become a beekeeper.
  • 4 videos
Sponsor
Speakers Becky Tipton
Becky Tipton Kansas Honey Producers, NEKBA
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association

Videos

How Do I Start Beekeeping?
1. The World of Bees and Your First Hive
Learn the vital role of honey bees as indispensable pollinators that are crucial for the health of gardens and our broader food system. Discover the essential equipment required for the journey, ensuring you have the correct hive components, tools, and protective gear for a safe and successful start. For more information, visit these Mother Earth News articles: Backyard Beekeeping for Beginners Successful Beekeeping with Your Own Honeybees
Becky Tipton
Becky Tipton Kansas Honey Producers, NEKBA
How Do I Start Beekeeping?
2. Setting Up Your Apiary
For new beekeepers, understanding the essential parts of a hive is crucial for successful beekeeping. This knowledge forms the foundation for setting up a healthy colony and facilitating honey production. Additionally, selecting the best methods for acquiring bees is a vital step in starting your beekeeping journey. For more information, consider these resources from Mother Earth News: Understanding Beehives: What Are All Those Parts? How to Be a Natural Beekeeper Mother Earth News Raise Backyard Bees
Becky Tipton
Becky Tipton Kansas Honey Producers, NEKBA
How Do I Start Beekeeping?
3. Inspecting Your Hive
Learning how to properly conduct a hive inspection is a cornerstone of responsible beekeeping, allowing you to assess critical characteristics such as the presence of a healthy, laying queen and a solid brood pattern. During these checks at different times of the year, you will also learn to evaluate the colony's food stores, look for signs of pests or disease, and gauge the overall population and temperament of your bees. For further reading, please see these resources from Mother Earth News: First Beehive Inspection of the Spring What to Look for in an End-of-Summer Hive Inspection
Becky Tipton
Becky Tipton Kansas Honey Producers, NEKBA
How Do I Start Beekeeping?
6. Become a Beekeeper
Want to be a beekeeper? Learn the best beekeeping practices for successful bee husbandry in the Midwest. Experts discuss the merits of keeping bees, the equipment needed and location considerations. They provide an overview of the first year in beekeeping, taking you quickly through equipment needs on through extracting your harvest.
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association