14th Annual Beekeeping School 

Looking at hives

Beekeeping School participants have the opportunity to "suit up", fire up the smoker and experience what it is like to open a hive and look inside.

Contact

Michael Kelling 
Central Texas Beekeepers Association P.O. Box 1875, Brenham, TX 77834 
centraltexasbeekeepers@gmail.com 
979-277-0411 

When

Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM CST

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Where

Brenham High School, Brenham, Texas 
525 A H Ehrig Drive
Brenham, TX 77833
 

 
Driving Directions 

 
 

 
girls 

If you desire to learn more about the art of Beekeeping, this school is for YOU!  From the opening remarks that start at the beginning ("This is a bee!") until the demonstration on how to extract honey, you will experience what it takes to build, install and care for your own bee hives.

The school will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Brenham High School in Brenham.

Our Beginning Beekeeper Class includes instruction on the role of each type of bee in a hive, demonstrations on hive assembly, safe equipment handling including lighting a smoker, installing bees and extracting honey.

We will walk you through a bee supply catalog and share with you what we recommend for beginners.  You will even have the opportunity to "suit up" and watch as we open a live hive of bees right in front of you. 

If you are beyond the beginner stage, there are plenty of classes. Check out our Intermediate Classes including Beekeeping 201, Bee Plants of Central Texas, Beekeeping for Property Tax Ag Valuation, Beescapes - Selecting Honey Plants, Natural Beekeeping, Honeybee Reproductive Biology, Managing Honeybees in an Africanized Zone, Raising Queens, Removing Bees from Structures, Making Increase with Splits, and several other intermediate topics.

The Morning Classes are designed for Advanced Beekeepers with 3 or more years of experience.  These are topics that you need to learn AFTER you have a bit more experience.  

The tenative 2024 schedule can be found HERE.  Please note that this schedule is subject to change as we finalize our speakers. You will receive a copy of the final schedule approximately two weeks prior to the school. 

We consider ourselves a "family-friendly" school.  Beekeeping can be a family activity and we encourage those students who are capable of participating in the classes to do so.  Many children can understand the presentations and they are welcome to learn.  If your child becomes disruptive, however, in respect to others, we ask that you remove the child from the lesson and return with them when they are again able to be attentive.

A Vendor's Area will be open with items for purchase.  We encourage you to visit the various vendors and purchase your equipment from them.

School cost for those registering on-line on or before February 29 is $90 for the first adult in a household and $85 for any additional household family member over 18.  Active and Retired Military will be $70. (Thank you for your service!!!)  Students, including college, are $35 each.  Children under the age of 12 are $20. 

Registration includes a Texas Bar-B-Que meal including Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (after all, we ARE in Brenham and Blue Bell is now better than ever!!!)  If you have other dietary needs, please provide your own meal.  There are several resturants within 5 minutes of the school.  

A school "book" containing information from most classes for you to review when you get home is also provided.

Late online registration (Feb. 29 and March 1) will realize an additional $10/ person charge.  Walk up registration the day of the school is $110 per person.  School enrollment is limited to the first 600.  Please do not delay.  

Proceeds from this event fund youth beekeeping scholarships and adult beekeeping education.  If you have questions, please contact us at (979) 277-0411 or by email at centraltexasbeekeepers@gmail.com.  You may visit our website at www.centraltexasbeekeepers.org.

 

This event is NOT sponsored by Brenham High School.  Please do not contact them for information.  We are just using their facilities. 

MORNING COURSE LISTING:

Please note!  These classes have NOT been finalized.  Some may be added or taken away based upon interest and instructor availability.  You will be provided with a final list of classes prior to the school.

• Beekeeping 101 (Beginning Beekeeping)
• Beekeeping 201 (Intermediate Beekeeping)
• Morning Classes (Advanced Beekeeping Classes):
     • Queen Rearing                                                                                                           • Bee Removals                                                                                                           • Varroa Management
     • Commercial Beekeeping Considerations
     • Reproductive Biology

AFTERNOON COURSE LISTING:

Please note!  These classes have NOT been finalized.  Some may be added or taken away based upon interest and instructor availability.  You will be provided with a final list of classes prior to the school.

  • A Comparison of Hive Styles
  • Beekeepers Tool Box
  • Bees for Ag. Exemption
  • Catching and Keeping Swarms
  • Feeding Your Bees
  • Flow Hive
  • From Zero to Honey - How to build a sustainable apiary in three years
  • How to Inspect My Hive
  • How to set up your Apiary
  • Keeping Bees Calm
  • Live Bee Demonstration
  • Making Splits
  • Mead 101
  • Medicinal Properties of Texas Honey
  • Opportunities & Challenges in Managing hives in Texas
  • Plants for You and Your Bees
  • Success At Your Farmers Market
  • Wax moths, beetles & mites, oh my!
  • What Would I Order if I was Starting Over?
  • Where's the Queen?

Bee School Schedule:

Check-In                                      7:00-8:45
Morning Classes                       8:00-11:00
LUNCH  and Classes                11:00-1:00
Afternoon Classes                    1:00- 4:00
DOOR PRIZE DRAWING            4:00

Register Now!