Sustainable Beekeeping Courses:

(This is by no means a full list of Sustainable Beekeeping courses available - you  may find one being run more locally to you)

Biodynamic Agricultural Association www.biodynamic.org.uk   Click  here for information on courses

Soil Association www.soilassociation.org

The Soil Association's Organic Farm School, supported by the Daylesford Foundation, is a series of hands-on courses in growing your own food, rearing animals, cooking and rural crafts. The courses cater to all skill levels and provide the opportunity to learn from organic farmers with personal experience - from a one-day basic introduction to more professional expertise - in bee-keeping, chicken keeping, vegetable growing, willow weaving, hedge laying or dry stone walling, and many others. For further information please see:

http://www.soilassociation.org/Takeaction/Learning/Organicfarmschool/tabid/239/Default.aspx

The Soil Association's Standards on Beekeeping are available at:

http://www.soilassociation.org/Certification/Standards/tabid/353/Default.aspx

although the Soil Association are keen to stress that it is very difficult to keep bees organically in England because of the distance bees need to forage.  However - these standards can be used as a guide on how to keep your bees sustainably.

The Natural Beekeeping Trust - www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org 

The Natural Beekeeping Trust promotes approaches to beekeeping that respect and honour the intrinsic nature of the honeybee. Husbandry methods are aimed at allowing the bees to express their natural instincts in all ways. The Trust consider it of central importance that bees overwinter on their own honey and reproduce naturally. Strengthening the bees’ vitality is the overriding motivation in the care of bees. Practical research work is directed at establishing optimum conditions for bees to thrive and regain their vigour. 

The Trust teaches and demonstrates natural beekeeping through talks and courses and encourages the formation of self- supporting local groups of holistic beekeepers and bee supporters.                                                                                 

Bees Under Straw Skep - copyright Natural Beekeeping Trust

For details of Courses run by the Natural Beekeeping Trust please click here

 Bees For Development - www.beesfordevelopment.org

Sustainable beekeeping “Making it simple and feasible to look after bees in more sustainable ways”

Weekend course in the Forest of Dean 2012

Saturday 31 March & Sunday 1 April

How can we ensure the survival of honey bees? This course covers the management of bees, and natural ways to take care of them. Beekeepers and non-beekeepers welcome. The course is run by Monmouth-based international charity Bees for Development, specialists in sustainable beekeeping worldwide.

Course content

· Meet the bees – a hands-on look at a honey bee colony

· The natural lifecycle of honey bees – basic bee biology and ecology

· Being a beekeeper – what does ‘keeping bees’ really mean?

· The relationship between bees and flowers – pollination, plants & biodiversity

· Honey bees in the landscape – seeing like a bee

· The relationship between bees and people – a history of bees and beekeeping

· Keeping bees healthy – what to do and when to act

· Making and building low-cost hives – practical demonstration

· Beekeeping and sustainability – what does the future hold?

“It was friendly, accommodated various levels of knowledge, and offered a vision of sustainability in beekeeping without being prescriptive. I think we were all inspired! The balance of theory and practice was just right.”

Course cost: £175 including VAT, covering all tuition, all (delicious) meals and refreshments. Bunkhouse accommodation is available if required, £15 supplement

http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/what-we-do/education/uk-training/weekend-course

Please complete and return the website booking form or phone 01600 714848

“Changing my preconceptions about bees, beekeeping and worldwide bee issues”


www.beesfordevelopment.org