Complete beekeeping short course offered in January
By Fred Miller
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Dec. 8, 2017
Fast Facts:
- Beekeeping short course offered Monday evenings in January
- Everything you need to know to keep bees successfully
- Course is free, but registration required
- Check out the Division of Ag's beekeing site at www.uaex.uada.edu/bees
- See our albums of beautiful flower & bee photos at https://flic.kr/s/aHskYbbxA5
(369 words)(Download this story in MS Word format here.)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Complete Beekeeping Short Course, offered in January by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will teach everything needed to know how to keep bees safely and successfully.
The course will be held Monday nights, Jan. 22 and 29 and Feb. 5, at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1372 W. Altheimer Drive, Fayetteville. The center is located on the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center on Garland Avenue, about 2 miles north of the University of Arkansas campus.
Classes will be taught by Jon Zawislak, apiculture instructor with the division’s Cooperative Extension Service. Zawislak is an Eastern Apiculture Society certified master beekeeper.
The course is free to the public, but registration is required. To register or for more information, contact the Washington County Extension Office, 479-444-1755.
Zawislak said different information will be presented each night, building on what has already been covered, so those interested in the course should plan to attend all three nights.
Extension Service beekeeping courses are open to anyone interested in honey bees or beekeeping, Zawislak said. No prior experience with bees is necessary to participate. Classes will cover everything a person needs to know to begin keeping bees safely and successfully.
Beekeeping has a steep learning curve for the novice, Zawislak said, and there is a lot of material to cover. The first class will introduce the bee hive, basic tools and equipment, and protective clothing, as well as present an overview of important honey bee biology and behaviors.
The second class will cover seasonal colony management, laws and regulations, and honey production. The final session covers honey bee health, hive pests, and bee diseases, which is now an essential part of beekeeper education.
Zawislak said the classes also are a great refresher course for experienced beekeepers.
Class participants are also encouraged to meet and socialize with others who share their interest in honey bees. Numerous beekeeping clubs and associations meet regularly throughout Arkansas, providing members with continuing opportunities to socialize, share, and learn.
More information on local beekeeper club meetings can be found on the website of the Arkansas Beekeepers Association.
To learn more about bees and beeking, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent, or visit the Division of Agriculture's beekeping site at www.uaex.uada.edu/bees.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your (insert appropriate office) as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu
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