New Jersey Beekeepers Association upcoming events

Raritan Valley Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping (April 11, 2026)

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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.

NJBA 2026 Spring State Meeting (May 02, 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 12:30:00 GMT

NJBA 2026 Spring State Meeting

Hosted by Raritan Valley Beekeepers and Morris-Somerset Beekeepers

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Location:

Morris County College
214 Center Grove Rd, Randolph, NJ 07869

Use Parking Lot P6 for easy access to the Student Community Center (SCC)

Follow the signs as you enter campus, click map to enlarge:

8:30	9:00	Registration / Coffee & Snacks	Light Breakfast: Coffee, Bagels, etc...
9:00	9:20	Welcome / Flag Salute	Keith Lyons
9:20	9:35	Introducing our new Jr. Honey Ambassador	Gail Helhoski
9:35	9:50	State Apiarist Report	Meghan McConnell
9:50	10:50	Bee genetics and physiology	Dr. Margarita López-Uribe Penn State University
10:50	11:15	Morning Break / Visit Vendors
11:15	12:00	Frontiers in bee health and nutrition	Dr. James Muchmore Morris-Somerset Beekeepers
12:00	1:10	Lunch / Visit Vendors	Buffet Style (Gluten Free and Veggie options will be available)
1:10	2:10	Producing organic honey in the northeast.	Dr. Margarita López-Uribe Penn State University
2:10	2:25	Announcements of upcoming events	John Gaut, Keith Lyons
2:25	3:00	Afternoon Break / Visit Vendors
3:00	4:00	Impact of limited pollen availability on bee health	Dr. Christopher Mayack William Patterson University
4:00	4:20	Door prizes, 50/50, Wrap up

Vendors:

Pre-orders are available for on-site delivery by our vendors:

· Grant Stiles/Mann Lake (www.stileshoney.com)
· Toadshade Wildflower Farm (www.toadshade.com) - Native Plants
· BeeWorks Supply (beeworkspa.com)
· Hermans Honeycomb (Hogg Halfcomb) www.hermans-honeycomb.com
· 4 Brothers Honey (Apimae) www.4brothershoney.com

Contact vendors directly for pre-show sales

Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping (September 12, 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping

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:

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, & Re-Queening

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.