NJBA 2026 Winter State Meeting
Date: February 28, 2026
Location:
Rutgers Eco-Complex 1200 Florence Columbus Rd, Bordentown, NJ 08505
Registration begins at: 8:30am
Opening remarks begin at: 9:00am
Meeting ends at: 4:00pm
Tentative Agenda--Subject to change:
Honey Show Auction – Tim Schuler, Auctioneer
Food includes:
Continental Breakfast: Coffee, Bagels, Muffins, Danish, Fruit Salad Hot Buffet Lunch
Hot Buffet Lunch
Vendors:
Several vendors will be at our Meeting with a good assortment of beekeeping supplies and or educational materials.
The vendors are also able to deliver preordered items to you at the meeting. Please contact the vendors directly by Wednesday, February 26th to order items for delivery. Space for preorders from each vendor is limited, so later orders may not be able to be delivered. Order early! Each vendor's contact information for orders is below.
Betterbee: Order online and select NJBA 2026 from the pickup options
Stiles Apiaries (MannLake): Email your orders to Grant@stileshoney.com
BeeWorks Supply Company: Contact Michael Awckland: 267-377-6410 (Dadant Dealer)
4 4 Brothers Honey is offering a 10% Discount for preorders and sales at the meeting. Call 610-389-2551 (Apimaye Dealer)
Raritan Valley Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping
Basic Beekeeping is a complete three-day course in beekeeping being held April 11 and April 25, 2026, followed by a HANDS ON field day; field day date TBA.
This course is presented by Raritan Valley Beekeepers. Instructors are Master Beekeepers and other experienced beekeepers from Raritan Valley Beekeepers Association (RVBA).
Class materials are based on the curriculum developed by EAS Certified Master Beekeeper Landi Simone and Cornell Certified Master Beekeeper Adele Barree. Successful completion of this class fulfills the education requirement necessary to legally keep bees in NJ.
Classroom topics include: Honey Bee Biology, Beekeeping Equipment, Getting Started with Bees, Keeping Bees in Populated Areas, Bee Plants, Seasonal Management, Honey Bee Pests and Diseases, Harvesting Your Honey Crop, Queens, Queen Problems and Re-Queening.
Day 3, Field Day, takes place in a local apiary 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.
Continental breakfast, drinks, and snacks are included both days of classroom instruction. Everyone brings their own lunch. Students will receive a notebook with all slides presented during class as well as an opportunity for hands on experience with setting up your first nuc. Information on beekeeping equipment and honey bee vendors will be available.
Class size is limited to 30 students.
NJBA youth scholarship is available, click for details.
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.
Copyright NJBA 2025
The New Jersey Beekeepers Association is a 501(c)5 not-for-profit organization. 704 Kline Place, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3135
