SAVE THE DATE! August 30th from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Participants will learn about the current issues facing honeybees and available solutions and why they should first consider the well-being of the honeybee when engaging in beekeeping practices. The instructor will take participants through a step by step process of understanding the life and work ethic of the most amazing human food producer: the honey bee. The workshop will include demonstrations and hands-on training.

Topics covered in this one day workshop will include honeybee biology and behavior, colony management and equipment, pests and diseases, bee laws, apiary management and soil health practices to ensure a pollinator friendly environment.

In addition, we will share preliminary findings from a current research project examining organic treatment-free and conventional honey bee colony management practices in an effort to determine whether either management philosophy results in healthier, less stressed bees.

The workshop will be facilitated by Michael Schmaeling of the “famed” Rodale Institute. Michael oversees hundreds of thousands of bees at The Honeybee Conservancy at Rodale Institute. He has worked extensively with The Xerces Society to install pollinator friendly habitat throughout the Rodale Institute’s 333 acre certified organic farm and enjoys sharing his knowledge and passion for beekeeping with others.

The workshop is free to the public and will take place at the FAMU Research and Extension Center in Quincy.
Registration is required. Please register at famu.register@gmail.com by August 26, 2015. Lunch included.

This session is provided as a collaborative effort of FAMU StateWide Small Farm Program, The Center for Biological Control, FAMU Entomology Department, Florida State Beekeeping Association, local farmers and beekeepers.

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