BE A HOBBY BEEKEEPER SHORT COURSE
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Clay County Agriculture Center, Green Cove Springs
A University of Florida Hands-on Community Program
Pre-registration is requested by September 16, 2009. There is a $15.00 registration
fee ($20.00 per couple) for this course to cover the purchase of materials. It will be
a hands-on short course, where participants will be involved with working with an active
hive on Extension Center property. At the end of the course we will demonstrate how
honey is “robbed from the bees” and all participants will be able to take home a jar of
local honey. This course will allow the participants to receive a complete perspective
of the process/expense involved with keeping honey bees as a hobby. It should allow
the participant to decide if this is something they want to do. For others, it offers an
excellent opportunity to learn about this very interesting/useful, often misunderstood
insect so important to our food supply. For more info you can reach us at
(904)284-6355, (904)269-6355, or (352)473-3711.
Purpose of Course: Over the last decade, local honey bee colonies have had a major
problem with two introduced honeybee pests (the Varroa Mite, and Small Hive Beetle).
Until currently there are few wild colonies in existence in Clay County and the only
honey bees around are those being kept by a beekeeper. This has lead to serious
pollination problems and the need to introduce more managed hives to our county. You
can become part of the solution to our sparse pollination problem by becoming a hobby
beekeeper. In addition, with the imminent arrival of the Africanized Honey Bee to our
county, there i s a need to inform more people of the importance of having “managed”
honeybee colonies to counter feral AHB colonies.
Note: As this activity involves direct contact with a stinging insect, no children will
be admitted to the Open Hive Portion of the Program.
Schedule of Program on Reverse 
8:45 - 9:00 AM REGISTRATION
9:00 – 9:30 Go on line to visit NE Florida Honey Bee Associations Website, Florida
State Beekeepers Website and talk about other sources for help for the beginner
9:30 - 10:30 AM View 60 minute Film on the Life Cycle of Honeybees
10:30- 11:15 AM View 30 minute film on Bee Equipment and how to set up a hive -
followed by 15 minute Q&R led by panel of local beekeepers
11:15– 12:00 AM View 30 minute Film on Installing Bees and how to get them off to a
good start - followed by 15 minute Q&R led by panel of local beekeepers
12:00- 12:15 PM Discuss Honeybee Pests and using IPM in their control – Discussion
led by panel of local beekeepers
12:15- 1:00 PM Lunch - drinks provided but bring your own food & we’ll eat
together! Samples of 12 different honey types will be provided for participants to
taste. Local Representatives of the Northeast Florida Honey Bee Association will be
present at lunch.
1:00 - 2:30 PM Open Hive Experience (if weather permits) – led by local
beekeepers
2:30 - 3:15 PM View 30 minute Film on Honey Collection/Extraction Techniques -
followed by discussion of how it is done – each family/or individual who paid
registration fee will receive one bottle of local Orange Blossom and one bottle of local
Gallberry honey as part of registration fee.
3:15 - 4:15 PM Discussion of the Africanized Hybrid Honeybees and what it means
to the person keeping Honeybees
4:15 – 4:30 PM Wrap- up, Evaluation, and Discussion
To register, call (904)269-6355,(904)284-6355 or
(352)473-3711 before March 26, 2009.
Raymond H. Zerba Jr.
Extension Agent IV, Horticulture
Clay County Extension/University of Florida
Registration Form: to be returned to: Beginning Bee Short Course Clay
County Extension Post Office Box 278 Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043-0278
Note: Make Check out to Clay County 4-H Youth Foundation/BeeSC in the amount of
$15.00 ($20.00 per couple) and return no later than Wednesday, September 16,
2009 along with the top portion of this page.
Name(s):_________________________________________________ Daytime
Phone:________________ Number of adults attending:___________________
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