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Upcoming events

    • September 07, 2024
    • 8:30 AM
    • September 14, 2024
    • 4:00 PM
    • Hunterdon County Complex, Route 12, (Building #1), Flemington, NJ 08822
    • 40
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    Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping

    Basic Beekeeping is a complete three-day course in beekeeping to be held September 7 and 14, 2024 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. Additional assistance in the apiary will come from Bob Kloss, EAS Master Beekeeper; and Laura Joiner, NWNJBA Outreach Co-Chair.

    Tuition: $130 for 2 days of class and 1 field day.


Past events

March 02, 2024 Morris Somerset Beekeepers Assn: Basic Beekeeping
February 24, 2024 NJBA 2024 Annual Winter State Meeting
February 22, 2024 Mid-State Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping
February 17, 2024 Raritan Valley Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping
February 10, 2024 Essex County Beekeepers Society: Basic Beekeeping
January 26, 2024 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (Spring)
October 14, 2023 NJBA 2023 Fall State Meeting
September 16, 2023 Northwest New Jersey Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping
September 10, 2023 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (September)
August 26, 2023 2023 NJBA Annual Picnic and Auction
May 21, 2023 CJBA 2023 Family Bee Day
May 20, 2023 NJBA 2023 Spring Meeting
March 23, 2023 Mid-State Beginning Beekeeping Workshop
March 18, 2023 Morris Somerset Beekeepers Assn: Basic Beekeeping (March 2023)
February 25, 2023 Raritan Valley Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping
February 19, 2023 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (February)
February 18, 2023 NJBA 2023 Annual Winter State Meeting
February 04, 2023 Essex County Beekeepers Society: Basic Beekeeping
October 15, 2022 NJBA 2022 Annual Fall State Meeting
September 10, 2022 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (September)
August 27, 2022 2022 NJBA Annual Picnic and Auction
May 22, 2022 CJBA 2022 Family Bee Day
March 27, 2022 Morris Somerset Beekeepers Assn: Basic Beekeeping
March 12, 2022 Raritan Valley Beekeepers Association: Basic Beekeeping
February 19, 2022 Essex County Beekeepers Society: Basic Beekeeping
February 13, 2022 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (February)
October 02, 2021 SJBA Basics of Beekeeping
April 17, 2021 RVBA Basic Beekeeping Short Course 2021
March 13, 2021 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (March)
February 28, 2021 Essex County Beekeepers Society: Day 4 Bonus Class Only
February 20, 2021 Essex County Beekeepers Society: Basic Beekeeping
February 20, 2021 CJBA Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (February)
November 05, 2020 2020 NJBA Fall Virtual Meeting
February 22, 2020 Essex County Beekeepers Society: Basic Beekeeping: A 3-DAY SHORT COURSE
February 01, 2020 NJBA 2020 Annual Winter State Meeting
January 11, 2020 Sussex County Beekeepers Association: Introduction to Beekeeping
November 09, 2019 NJBA 2019 Annual Fall State Meeting
September 21, 2019 Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (Monmouth County)
September 13, 2019 Beekeeping for the Bee-ginner (Mercer County)
June 29, 2019 2019 NJBA Annual Picnic and Auction
May 19, 2019 CJBA 2019 Family Bee Day
May 18, 2019 NJBA Annual Spring Meeting
February 16, 2019 Basic Beekeeping: A Three-Day Short Course
February 16, 2019 NJBA 2019 Annual Winter Meeting
January 12, 2019 Introduction to Beekeeping
November 10, 2018 NJBA Fall State Meeting
August 11, 2018 2018 NJBA Annual Picnic and Auction
May 20, 2018 CJBA 2018 Family Bee Day
February 17, 2018 2018 Annual Winter Meeting
September 30, 2017 Annual Fall Meeting
August 12, 2017 2017 NJBA Annual Picnic and Auction
July 31, 2017 EAS 2017
July 25, 2016 Beekeeping Courses / EAS Conference
April 23, 2016 Annual Spring Meeting



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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

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