NJBA Picnic and Auction
Saturday, August 15
Bob Hughes’ House 706 Groveville-Allentown Road, Yardville, NJ 08620 That’s MERCER County.
Early Adult Registration, 12 years old and up. Now through July 14. $18 Early Child Registration, 6 years to 11 years old. Now through July 14. $11.
Regular Adult Registration, 12 years old and up. July 15 to August 1. $23. Regular Child Registration, 6 years to 11 years old. July 15 to August 1. $16.
Late Adult Registration, 12 years old and up. August 1 to August 14. $28. Late Child Registration, 6 years to 11 years old. August 1 to August 14. $21.
Walk-in Registration. $34.
For all auctioned items, NJBA receives a 15% commission of the gross sale price
Pre-registration for auction is recommended. Forms will be sent upon registration. Three copies will be required.
All items purchased MUST be paid for by the end of the auction. All items purchased and not removed from premises will be discarded, unless prior arrangements are made with NJBA.
Pool will be OPEN after lunch!
“Basics of Beekeeping” is a beginning beekeeping course presented by the South Jersey Beekeepers Association (SJBA), a branch of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association. The dates for the Fall course are; Saturday Sept 5 and 19 and October 10, 2026. The live classes run from 8:30AM to 12:30PM at the Camden County Sustainability Complex (508 Lakeland Rd, Blackwood), as well as available online via Zoom.
The core curriculum is suitable for adults and children 12 and older who are new to beekeeping. It provides the basic information you will need to get started in honeybees and qualifies for the education requirements for new beekeepers under New Jersey beekeeping regulations (§2:24-3.1(c)6).
The textbook The Beekeeper’s Handbook, 5th edition by Sammartaro and Avitabile and electronic handouts are included in the registration fee. The cost is $125 per student.
Rob Dietrich, SJBA Education Chair, is the lead instructor for this course. Rob has been keeping bees since 2014 and has been a sideliner beekeeper since 2019. Contact: sjbaeducation@gmail.comBottom of Form
Important: Students must attend at least four of the six classes and must attend Class 4 to receive a Certificate of Completion.
Along with the classes, field days will be held in the afternoon after each class in a local apiary, time and weather permitting. During the field day, hives will be opened to show eggs, larvae, pupae, workers, drones, queen (maybe), brood pattern, how to light and use a smoker, and how to use a hive tool. Attendance at one field day is required to receive a certificate. There is an option to attend a field day with any of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association branches that must be validated by one of the local branch officers.
Scholarships: The New Jersey Beekeepers Association (NJBA) offers scholarships for students aged 12 to 21, click here for more info. SJBA offers two scholarships for students aged 12 to 21, first responders, veterans and active duty military. Contact the SJBA Scholarship Committee via email at sjbaeducation@gmail.com for more information and to request an application form.
The registration deadline is Saturday, August 31, 2026. Payment must be received by this date to allow time for the textbooks to be mailed and delivered before the first class.
Basic Beekeeping is a complete three-day course in beekeeping to be held September 12 and 19, 2026 from 8:30am-4:00pm with a Field Day following on a date TBD. It is offered by the Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association and overseen by Cornell Certified Master Beekeeper Jean Miller. Class materials are based on the curriculum developed by EAS Certified Master Beekeeper Landi Simone. Successful completion of this class fulfills the legal education requirement to keep bees in NJ.
Class size is limited to 40 students. NJBA scholarship is available. Click for details. Attendees must be 14 years or older.
Classroom topics covered on Days 1 and 2 include:
Day 3, Field Day, takes place in at the club’s apiary located near (but not exactly at) 70 Valley Crest Road, Lebanon, NJ. The coordinates for the apiary are 40°37'13.3"N 74°52'15.5"W., and provides students with an introduction to working with the bees. Students will have the experience of opening and inspecting a beehive themselves and obtain hands-on lessons in recognizing the various components of a hive and colony as well as inspection basics such as smoker lighting, protective gear, and correct use of the hive tool.
A continental breakfast and afternoon snack is included in both days of classroom instruction. Students should bring a bagged lunch or plan on eating lunch at various area restaurants. Students will have access to all slides presented during class as well as supplementary class materials. Students will also be able to purchase equipment at class and be given resources for purchasing bees for installation the following spring.
Jean Miller is a Cornell Certified Master Beekeeper and a Rutgers Certified Master Gardener. Prior to motherhood she was an engineer in the food industry. She also was a substitute teacher for 20 years in the Flemington area and has been keeping bees for about a decade. Additional instructors include Jim McCauley, past president of NWNJBA; Brandon Stoneking, NWNJBA First VP; Mim and Tim Dunne, beekeepers for over 40 years; Grant Stiles, former NJ State Apiarist and owner of Stiles Apiaries; and current NJ State Apiarist Meghan McConnell.
Tuition: $130 for 2 days of class and 1 field day.
NJBA 2026 Fall State Meeting
Hosted by Central Jersey Beekeepers
Date: Saturday, Sept 12, 2026 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Location:
Stiles Honey 511 New Brunswick Avenue Fords, NJ 08863 THIS IS AN OUTDOOR EVENT **BRING A CHAIR** Bring a non-perishable food item or canned product to support the local food pantry
Stiles Honey 511 New Brunswick Avenue Fords, NJ 08863
Tentative Agenda:
8:30 Registration / Continental Breakfast 9:00 Welcome / Opening Remarks / Flag Salute 9:30 Station #1: Mite Treatments for the fall
8:30 Registration / Continental Breakfast
9:00 Welcome / Opening Remarks / Flag Salute
9:30 Station #1: Mite Treatments for the fall
Station #2: Feeders and Fall Feeding
10:30 Winter Preparation 11:45 Fellowship, networking and Lunch 1:15 Station #3: Combining Hives and Dealing with Problems
10:30 Winter Preparation
11:45 Fellowship, networking and Lunch
1:15 Station #3: Combining Hives and Dealing with Problems
Station #4: Solar Bear Fence Installation
2:15 Pesticide Kills: New Jersey Dept of Environmental Protection 3:15 Door prizes and final remarks 4:00 Fellowship and clean up
2:15 Pesticide Kills: New Jersey Dept of Environmental Protection
3:15 Door prizes and final remarks
4:00 Fellowship and clean up
Central Jersey Beekeepers…Beginning Beekeeping – Sept 19, Oct 3 & 10, 2026 in West Windsor, NJ
This three-day course will cover all aspects of entry level beekeeping for the Hobbyist in NJ. No prior knowledge of honeybees or beekeeping is required. This class is offered by the Central Jersey Beekeepers Association and instruction is led by EAS Certified Master Beekeeper Jeff Burd. Jeff has been keeping bees for over 17 years. Jeff is the former president of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association, Eastern Apicultural Society and Mercer County Board of Agriculture. Class materials are based on the curriculum developed by Jeff Burd and EAS Certified Master Beekeeper and former New Jersey State Apiarist Grant Stiles. This course fulfills the legal requirements of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture for beekeeper education.
The location of the class is Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550. Specific room location will be sent out prior to class start.
Class dates are Saturday, September 19, October 3 and 10, 2026. ‘Hands On’ field inspection of bee hives will be held each day, depending on the weather. Bee veils and gloves will be provided.
Start time 8:30 am. End approximately 5:00 pm. Class size is limited to 65 students. NJBA scholarship is available, click for details. Attendees must be at least 14 years of age. No refunds after the first class begins. 85% attendance required for completion certificate.
Topics Covered:
Bee Biology; Equipment; Getting your bees; Pests; Diseases; State Regulations; Best location; nectar and pollen sources; Colony and Seasonal management; Best Management Practices; Bee nutrition; Harvesting; Products of the hive; Product safety; marketing, honey tasting and more.
The textbook “Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees” by Sanford and Bonney, and handouts will be provided. The cost is $150. There is a $50 discount for active 4-H and FFA members; as well as all U.S. Veterans, verification required; and second family member. Enter the corresponding code: 4-H, FFA, Vet or 2Fam when registering.
There will be an opportunity to order equipment, supplies and bees at the conclusion of the course. There will be no refunds after the first class begins. 85% attendance is required for Certificate of Completion. No food nor drink is provided. You are on your own for any meals, drinks or snacks. Local food establishments are less than a ten minute drive away.
Central Jersey Beekeepers…Beginning Beekeeping – Sun October 4 & 11, 2026 in Freehold, NJ
This two-day course will cover all aspects of entry level beekeeping for the Hobbyist in NJ. No prior knowledge of honeybees or beekeeping is required. This class is offered by the Central Jersey Beekeepers Association and instruction is led by EAS Certified Master Beekeeper Jeff Burd. Jeff has been keeping bees for over 17 years. Jeff is the former president of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association, Eastern Apicultural Society and Mercer County Board of Agriculture. Class materials are based on the curriculum developed by Jeff Burd and EAS Certified Master Beekeeper and former New Jersey State Apiarist Grant Stiles. This course fulfills the legal requirements of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture for beekeeper education.
The location of the class is Centra State Healthcare, 901 West Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728. Specific location will be sent prior to class start.
Class dates are Sunday, October 4 and 11, 2026. ‘Hands On’ field inspection of bee hives will be held at a separate location. Dates, times and location—TBD. Weather dependent. Bee veils and gloves will be provided.
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The New Jersey Beekeepers Association is a 501(c)5 not-for-profit organization. 704 Kline Place, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3135
