Goin' back to school

[Cindi]

Couldn't find an appropriate forum, so this is related to bees, so here it shall be.

One of our local universities, Simon Fraser University, is offering their annual Bee Masters Short Course.  It is a five day course offered to individuals who have had some (or lots) of beekeeping experience.  I have enrolled in this course and hope to attain much knowledge.  It begins the end of February and extends until March 2.

This is a busy time of year for me (and as such, probably everyone).  But I plan to put this week of my life on hold at my home, and go back to "school".  It should be a wonderful learning curve and I will have the opportunity to meet many new people, instructors, Apiculture Branch members and hopefully lots of beekeepers that have a desire to learn, such as myself.

Going back to school, and being in a "classroom" setting will be a rather difficult one.  Haven't been there in many a year.  But gonna have some FUN.  Great day.  Cindi

[Kathyp]

i think that's great.  wish we had something like that here! 

[Understudy]

Please report back on what is discussed in the course. The local beekeeper group is looking to do something similar down here.

I would love to know what they go over and what they emphasise.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[sean]

hey cindi it would be great if you could forward whatever material is possible on the site. We have no formal beekeeping course here. There is an apprenticeship programme that runs for about 6 mths. which is just for unemplyed people who are interested in beekeeping.

What ever knowledge i have gained so far has been via this forum, the web and from talking to other beekeepers. eg. i went to 1 apriary run by the min. of agriculture for about 3hrs, visited the office to see the various products and got some bees. that was it. In fact when i bought the smoker i didn't even know how to light it. so i am always on the prowl for more information although alot of it is based on temperate to cold climates which is abit different from a tropical setting

[Brian D. Bray]

Cindi,  I read about the course at Simon Frazer U.  If I weren't so laid up (disabled) I would have liked to spend a week in BC to take the course.  I always enjoy my visits to Vancouver and Victoria.

[Cindi]

Cindi,  I read about the course at Simon Frazer U.  If I weren't so laid up (disabled) I would have liked to spend a week in BC to take the course.  I always enjoy my visits to Vancouver and Victoria.

Brian, come on....you are only as disabled as you allow yourself to be.  Think positive.  If you have a desire to attend this course, and it is a great one I have heard, then do this for yourself.  Find a way.  You can do anything that you want to do, that is within you, you do have the power, you only have to find the avenue that can take you there.  You know darn well that almost everyone in the world will go out of their way to help people that need some extra help.  If you don't know that, then you must look deeper, and if don't find it, go deeper yet.  Go for it Brian.  Especially if you like to visit the island the Lower Mainland.

[Brian D. Bray]

Cindi,

I know your intentions are good, but you are not aware of the full extent of my disabilities (plural intended).  Due to stamina issues I use a motorized wheelchair to get around over distances in excess of 100 meters.  I suffer from narcolepsy, so maintaining awareness can be a challenge.  I also have Fibromialgia which has its own set of restrictiions.  That's the three main problems--there are many more.
Then there is transportation--I am dependent on others and they work so my needs are made around their work schedules. 
I'm not whinning, I still manage to stay reasonably active puttering around the garden etc.  A few months ago I went on vacation with my wife.  The majority of the 1st day was spent traveling.  That night, the 2nd day, and the night of the second day were spent recovering enough to spend some time the balance of the remaining 3 days doing various things.  The return trip was the same thing---recovery took a day and a half.
If I went to Simon Frazer I would have to go at least a day in advance inorder to be alert enough to attend.  It's one of those limitations I have to work around and it takes planning.

[Jarhead]

State University of New Jersey (Rutgers) offers a short course once or twice a year, depending on the number of students.  http://www.cookce.rutgers.edu/brochures/pdfs/beekeeping.pdf

[tillie]

I guess we're lucky in Atlanta.  Last year I had the opportunity to choose between three local "short courses" offered by the three main beekeeping organizations in town.  The "teachers" were local beekeeps as well as grad students from the UGA bee lab where Keith Delaplane teaches.  I learned so much by seeing what I had been reading about - how to put together a frame, what you need to get started, what bees like in the garden (not mine - too close to the hives, apparently), hive maintenance, the honey flow in Georgia (begins around tax time - April 15), and much more.  

Later in the spring I took another course at the John Campbell Folk School from Virginia Webb.  It was a weekend course and a good one - with hands on experience opening the hives, extracting honey, etc.  By then I had had my bees for about a month and much of the course was stuff I had already experienced, but would have been great for the absolutely brand new beekeeper.

However you do it, I can't say enough for going to beekeeping "school."  My only regret is that I had to work and couldn't miss to go to the Eastern Apicultural meeting in Georgia this summer.  I know I missed a lot of opportunity to hear some good talks.

This year I am helping with the short course my Metro Beekeeping group puts on by putting together the goody bag we give to the participants in the short course - I'm having fun with that process.  We give everyone who is in the course copies of Bee Culture, a tiny jar of honey, a beeswax bar, Dadant's First Lessons in Beekeeping, and lots of other goodies.  The Ga Dept of Agriculture gives us free bags that say "Georgia Grown" and since bees are an agricultural entity, this is perfect!  

All of the above to say, learning hands on in a short course is an invaluable experience.

Linda in Atlanta, hoping my bees make it through the winter. :-\

[Kirk-o]

Thats Fantastic if you can get some Education on Beekeeping.

I wish they had that here
kirko

[organicgrl37]

Way back when, I took a course for beginning beekeepers offered by the Worecter County Beekeepers Association (central MA). It was taught by local beekeepers and introduced me to Krum, the beekeeper that taught me soooooooo much and gave me a job when no else would. The classes were great, it was also an awesome opportunity to network and meet fello bee people.

[Cindi]

Folks, all the comments about everyone's experiences with their beekeeping courses and knowledge gainers are great.  Consider yourself fortunate that you have gained these experiences, so many of you having the "hands on" typifying what beekeeping is all about.

For those that don't think there are any offers to courses, just keep on reading books, the internet, or most of all this forum.  Many members post very incredible links that are wealth of information.  Add them to your favourites when you come across them and they will always be there at your fingertips.  There are incredible offers of advice, all have their own pieces of great information.

We all know that learning is living, without learning, where would we be.  Great day.  Cindi

[Cindi]

Brian, I apologize for not being aware of the depth of the disabilities that you have and trying to get you to attend the Bee Master Short Course up my neck of the woods.  It would appear that you have some very difficult obstacles that you work with daily, my hats off to you.  Many people would just give up and succumb to these type of issues, but it sounds like you won't give in and work with them the best that you possibly can.   Great going.

About the narcolepsy.  I know how challenging that one can be.  We have a friend who was diagnosed with this.  Very difficult.  I know nothing of fibromyalgia, but I have heard it is a very debilitating malade.  I believe it has to do with muscle motor?

Have a great day, Brian, you have a good ability to teach others through your advice on the bees, and I see that you are a very good writer, I saw some of your work on the "Beekeepers Voice".  As your physical side has limitations, your mind does not, let it fly.  Great day, Brian.  Cindi

[Cindi]

Right, almost forgot, one member asked for the link for the Bee Masters Short Course 2007 at SFU.  I will list it below, it has an interesting agenda for the duration of course.  Great day.  Cindi

http://www.sfu.ca/conferences/beemasters2007/