In 2012 our 10 week courses will start again in Gateshead and Whitfield (half-way between the two).

We run 10 week courses for beginners, of 2.5 hours per session at  Bill Quay Farm (Gateshead) and at the conference room at the Whitfield Village Pantry (Near Hexham and Haltwhistle). In this way we cover from the West coast almost to the East Coast.

The time is 6pm to 8.30pm at Bill Quay and 6.30 to 9pm at Whitfiled. The cost for the 25 hours is £220. Courses start in April. For the details of dates, prices and times see this link.

Unlike our Weekend Course, on these 10-week courses you will have:

1. Many more hours of practical hands on work with the bees at the site of the course, giving you a better opportunity to learn more about beekeeping,
2. The opportunity to visit other working apiaries away from the course site
3. Visiting guest Lecturers from the National Bee Unit, in York and others (for details please enquire)
4. Many more classroom hours to ask questions and gain more in-depth knowledge.
5. You will be able to follow, on the 10 week course, the development of colonies from coming out of the winter, building up, preparing for swarming and you will see the hives being split and united - you do not have the possibility of doing this on a Weekend Course.

In addition to this we will cover the most important tasks of the Beekeeping year including

1. The Beekeeping Year and recommended books
2. The residents of the Hive, their duties and how they communicate. Sterilisation and preparing a hive for bees.
3. Non-invasive diagnosis, inspecting the colony, finding, marking and clipping the queen, uniting colonies, moving hives, clearing supers, feeding etc.
4. Reasons for swarming; swarm collection; swarm control; artificial swarming and making an increase; natural mating and queen behaviour; comparison of the honey bee races.
5. Harvesting of honey, working bees on oil seed rape and heather; filtration, bottling and labelling of honey; cut comb; wax, propolis, royal jelly, venom and pollen.
6. Agricultural sprays; bees and neighbours; legal issues and insurance;
   Wax moth, identification of brood and adult diseases; statutory requirements; official inspections; advantages of bbka and sbka membership; sources of equipment and protective clothing; setting up an apiary; obtaining bees and ongoing advice; record keeping.
7. Pollination; natural forage and forage crops; soft fruit and top fruit; gardening for bees; robbing; protection from mice, woodpeckers; obtaining bees.
8. Winter management and Spring Management.