Beekeeping Education
McDonald Honey is bringing our knowledge and experience developed through generations of beekeeping in Castlemaine to the wider local community. Our experience ranges from recreational beekeeping through to a large, fully commercial beekeeping enterprise.
After running beekeeping tutoring for many years at various beekeeping field days on an irregular basis, we are now running regular workshops throughout the year which aim to meet the increased demand for knowledge about honeybees.
Beekeeping is a craft that has been traditionally taught through hands-on teaching methods and many years of practice. This requires an experienced beekeeper who is willing to share their time where you may patiently glean the skill and knowledge about the honeybee and flora from them. However, this is only the beginning. Beekeeping is a lifelong learning endeavour, changing constantly from year to year as the seasons change. This is especially so in Australia, where the predominant sources of honey are generated from the various eucalyptus trees, which are irregular in their flowering patterns.
Workshops are run throughout the year but, as they all involve opening beehives are both weather and demand dependent.
ALL workshops involve a full hive inspection showing how to check the hive for pests and diseases and build confidence in managing the beehive.
July
August - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Spring Management.
September - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Spring Management.
October - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Spring Management.
November - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Honey Harvest.
December
January
Febuary - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Honey Harvest.
March - Lost Trades Fair display, Kyneton.
April - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Autumn Pack Down.
May - Intro to Bees and Beekeeping & Autumn Pack Down.
June
Check workshop overview below for more details and specific dates.
Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping
This workshop will commence with Bees. Live bees in a secure display and discussion about honeybee behaviour and the management of beehives. The equipment necessary to successfully keep and manage a beehive will also be discussed.
The afternoon will be spent suiting up and examining a live beehive with an interactive discussion about the inner workings of the hive.
The day will end with a tasting of various varieties of honey from the regions of Victoria.
Perfect for: People thinking of getting bees or who have just got them and need basic information and familiarisation with what to do.
Chance of getting stung: Very low.
Cost: $190.00 (includes hive tool, information pack and afternoon tea)
When: TBA
Where: McDonald Honey Farm (see contact page for details)
Time: 10-4pm
Call 03 5472 2842 or email sales@mcdonaldhoney.com.au to book for this course.
Hive Management
This workshop is all about bees and how to manage the beehive throughout the year, but especially through the spring period with the majority of the focus being on swarm control.
It will include live bees in a secure display, a demonstration of the pulling apart of a hive and finally an opportunity for every student to get hands-on practice to pull apart a beehive on their own under the supervision of an experienced beekeeper. At all stages there will be interactive discussion about the management techniques for honeybees.
The day will end with a tasting of various varieties of honey from the regions of Victoria.
Perfect for: People who already have a hive and need further experience, knowledge, guidance and tips on how to manage the bees well.
Chance of getting stung: Good.
Cost: $190.00
When: TBA
Where: McDonald Honey Farm (see contact page for details)
Time: 10-4pm
Call 03 5472 2842 or email sales@mcdonaldhoney.com.au to book for this course.
Honey Harvest
This workshop is all about bees and how to manage the beehive. It will show how to identify when there is excess honey and how much honey to harvest using different techniques.
It will include live bees in a secure display, a demonstration of the pulling apart of a hive and the different ways to harvest honey. Finally, there will be an opportunity for every student to get hands-on practice to pull apart a beehive on their own under the supervision of an experienced beekeeper.
At all stages there will be interactive discussion about the management techniques for honeybees.
The day will end with a demonstration of the various ways to extract the honey from the honeycomb.
Perfect for: People who already have a hive and need further experience, knowledge, guidance and tips on how to manage the bees well.
Chance of getting stung: Good.
Cost: $190.00
When: TBA
Where: McDonald Honey Farm (see contact page for details)
Time: 10-4pm
Call 03 5472 2842 or email sales@mcdonaldhoney.com.au to book for this course.
Autumn Pack Down
This workshop is all about bees, how to manage the beehive and how to pack down the hive in preparation for winter.
It will include live bees in a secure display, a demonstration of the pulling apart of a hive and what to consider when preparing the hive for winter. It will include an opportunity for every student to get hands-on practice to pull apart a beehive under the supervision of an experienced beekeeper.
At all stages there will be interactive discussion about the management techniques for honeybees.
Perfect for: People who already have a hive and need further experience, knowledge, guidance and tips on how to manage the bees well.
Chance of getting stung: Good.
Cost: $190.00
When: TBA
Where: McDonald Honey Farm (see contact page for details)
Time: 10-4pm
Call 03 5472 2842 or email sales@mcdonaldhoney.com.au to register your interest for this course.