Beekeeping Courses
Introduction Days
Introduction to the delights of beekeeping
A one-day taster event, repeated through the season. Covers the basics of beekeeping, how to start, basic equipment and clothing, and so on.
Includes a ‘meet the bees’ session so that you can get up close with a hive of bees and experience the work of a beekeeper.
Courses for Beginners
Winter course for aspiring beekeepers
A winter course to prepare new or recent beekeepers. Six evening classes, leading into two practical apiary sessions in the spring when the hives are active.
Allows much more discussion and depth than the introductory day, with the aim of getting you started confidently in beekeeping.
Courses for Improvers
Skills and knowledge for existing beekeepers
Short Courses
Intensive one-day and two-day courses intended for beekeepers with some experience who wish to improve their confidence and competence.
Introduction to Beekeeping day
This is a one day introduction to the delights of beekeeping. It is aimed at those with an interest in honey bees who may be considering taking up beekeeping, or who may just be interested in learning more about how honey bees live and the work of the beekeeper throughout the year.
We will introduce you to the honey bee colony – workers, drones, and the queen – and discuss the colony’s lifecycle and seasonal activities from the bees’ perspective. Following this, we will look at what you need to get started – beehives, clothing, tools – and how to source bees.
After lunch in our garden tea room, we will get dressed in wellies and beekeeping jackets and head up to the apiary in the meadow, where we will open the beehives and meet the bees. We will show how we check on the bees’ wellbeing, and how gently the bees respond. You may participate and hold honeycombs with bees if you wish, or just watch!
Upon returning to our classroom, we will discuss the beekeeper’s tasks season by season, including why and when to open and check beehives, how to recognise and deal with swarming, how to ensure the bees are well prepared for winter, and so on. We will demonstrate simple ‘kitchen table’ processing of honey and beeswax so that you can enjoy the produce of your beehives – a sweet reward for a season’s care and attention!
We will end the day with a tasting session of various interesting honeys from our own bees and from further afield.
Cost is £145 per person, to include lunch and refreshments. Attendees should be aged 16 years and over.
An undated gift voucher is available, this will allow the recipient to book onto any of our published introductory dates.
Beekeeping for Beginners - winter course
The course is aimed at those who are considering beekeeping as a hobby. We will introduce you to beekeeping, giving you basic skills and confidence to begin to manage your own bees with sympathy and understanding.
The course starts in mid January with six fortnightly evening classes held in our classroom at the honey farm and concurrently online via Zoom. Through themed discussions, using many visual aids and pieces of equipment, we will explore what is involved in beekeeping; how to start; and the basic requirements of time, space, and equipment. The course fee includes your own copy of the BBKA Guide to Beekeeping , a well-regarded and modern reference book that we will refer to throughout the course. We will hold the evening sessions in our classroom with concurrent Zoom web conferencing, so that you may choose to attend remotely or in person.
As the bees become active, the course moves from the classroom to the apiary, and you will try beekeeping for yourself, giving you time to become familiar with working with a hive and with honey bees. Our teaching apiary is sited in the meadow adjacent to the farm buildings, and we have beekeeping jackets with veils for you to use.
The 2026 winter beginners’ course dates are:
Thursday evenings, classroom, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
6 evening sessions (Jan 15, 29, Feb 12, 26, Mar 12, 26)
Sunday practical sessions, apiary, 10am – 12:30pm or 2pm – 4:30pm
2 half day sessions (provisionally Apr 26, May 17)
Cost is £225 per person, including refreshments. Attendees must be 16 years old or over.
Courses for Improvers
Ken and Dan run advanced training for experienced beekeepers under the umbrella of Advanced Beekeeping Courses. The aims of this training are
- Building skills and confidence
- Making the transition from novice to competent beekeeper
- Opening horizons and de-mystifying the craft of beekeeping
- Encouraging and developing ‘thinking beekeepers’
Short Courses
Intensive one-day and two-day courses are held throughout the year at our honey farm in Devon. Intended for beekeepers with some experience, who wish to improve their confidence and competence.
Each course deals with a particular aspect of beekeeping, with particular emphasis on practice and practical applications. Also valuable preparation for those studying for the BBKA exams and assessments.