Success StoryBeginning Beekeeping Classes Serve As a Way to Promote Pollinators and Provide Honey



Beginning Beekeeping Classes Serve As a Way to Promote Pollinators and Provide Honey

Author: Annette Heisdorffer

Planning Unit: Daviess County CES

Major Program: Bees/Beekeeping

Plan of Work: Home and Consumer Horticulture, Master Gardeners

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Honeybees play a vital role in the production of many fruit and vegetable crops by serving as pollinators.  Beekeeping as a hobby has increased due to the awareness of the importance of the honeybee in pollination, to protect the pollinator, and for the honey.  Some people want the benefit of the bees in their own home garden. With the popularity of beekeeping increasing, a “Beginning Beekeeping” class with three sessions was hosted by the Agent for Horticulture Education at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office.   An experienced local beekeeper taught the class.  Participants could attend all of the sessions or select the ones fitting his or her needs.   Over 40 participants started in the first class with 26 and 29 in sessions two and three, respectively.  As a result of the program, respondents to written surveys after the classes indicated that:  97% learned about the parts of a hive and the basic supplies needed; 96% learned how to manage diseases and insect pests of bees; 100% learned about extracting honey from the frames and how to split a hive; and 93% learned about the basic requirements to be a successful beekeeper.  In addition, 79% said they would start a new hive;  80% felt more comfortable in managing disease and insect pests of the hive; and 90% felt more comfortable with extracting honey from the frames.  






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