Date: Saturday, March 14, 2015
Location: NewsBank Conference Center, 352 Main Street, Chester, VT
Cost: $35/person

Join The Nature Museum for a beekeeping workshop with expert Ross Conrad. This workshop will cover two important and highly-requested topics by local beekeepers: Overwintering Bees and Spring Management and Beeswax: Production, Collection, Processing, and Uses. See below for more details on each topic. Light morning refreshments will be served, featuring special treats from Grafton Village Cheese! Participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch. Questions are encouraged at this interactive workshop, and plenty of time will be allotted to discuss beekeeping and answer questions with Ross.

Overwintering Bees and Spring Management: One of the most challenging aspects of keeping bees in the Northeast is successfully overwintering the hives so that the bees are alive in the spring. Ross will discuss the primary issues that need to be addressed to help bees survive the winter and how to steward colonies through the critical time period of late winter and early spring when hives are typically in their most vulnerable condition.  

Beeswax: Production, Collection, Processing, and Uses: Beeswax is a unique substance produced within the body of the honeybee. This workshop will cover its origins from within the hive to its uses for health and healing, everyday practical use, and artistic expression. Participants will explore the origins of beeswax within the hive, its properties, how the bees use it, and how we can benefit from this incredibly useful substance. Various methods of collection and processing will be discussed that are especially suited for the small-scale, hobby, or part-time beekeeper.