CLOQUET, MINNESOTA Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College,
in partnership with the Northeast Minnesota Beekeepers Association,
is hosting a day-long workshop called Beekeeping and More!
on Saturday, February 17, 2018, for anyone interested in learning
about beekeeping as a hobby or as a commercial enterprise. The Symposium
will open at 8:30 a.m. and classes run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
starting in the college commons. Pre-registration is encouraged. The
first Beekeeping and More workshop held in 2016 drew in more than
150 beekeepers and the event has kept growing, making it one of the
largest beekeeping workshops in northern Minnesota.
Session topics include equipment, general troubleshooting, queen
biology, risks to native pollinators, varroa mites, gentle beekeeping,
and the challenges of overwintering honeybees in northern climates.
Hands-on activities are also a part of the program, during which
attendees can learn practical applications for products from the
hive.
Experts from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab, the Northeastern
Minnesota Beekeepers Association, and the Xerces Society will present
the sessions and answer questions throughout the workshop. Informational
displays, vendors, and door prize drawings will also be a part of
the third annual event.
This will be a great day of learning and information sharing
for both novice and experienced beekeepers, said Courtney
Kowalczak, Director of the Environmental Institute at Fond du Lac
Tribal and Community College. There will be plenty of time
to meet other beekeepers, ask for advice, get questions answered,
and share ideas.
Opening speaker Roy Ober of the Northeastern Minnesota Beekeepers
Association will introduce the basics of beekeeping and cover everything
a new beekeeper needs to understand. His talk will cover coexisting
peacefully with neighbors, equipment requirements, developing a
timeline for a new beekeepers first year of beekeeping, getting
stung, and more.
Jessica Helgen and Jenny Warner of the University of Minnesota
Bee Squad will present information about gentle beekeeping, queen
biology, overwintering, and understanding the impact of cultured
hives on native bees.
Pam Herou of the Xerces Society will present on native bees
biology, habitat, biggest threats, and how to help them thrive.
Informational tables from local authorities on pollinator habitat
installation, avoiding invasive plant species, and apiary supplies
will be set up in the student commons. Beekeepers will have the
opportunity to pre-order native pollinator plant seed mixtures,
and will be able to order apiary tools, hives, and more.
The third annual Beekeeping and More! workshop is
presented by Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College through support
from a USDA-NIFA grant and in partnership with the Northeastern
Minnesota Beekeepers Association. The workshop is part of Fond du
Lac Tribal and Community Colleges Environmental Institute
and Extension programs.
Lunch will be available for purchase from Fond du Lac Tribal
and Community Colleges Environmental Science Club.
Registration is $10.00 for Northeastern Beekeepers Association
members, and $15.00 for non-members. Pre-registration is encouraged
and available online at www.fdltccbeekeeping.zapevent.com.
Same-day registration will be available as space allows, payment
by cash or check only.
For more information, contact Courtney Kowalczak at (218) 879-0862
or via email at courtneyk@fdltcc.edu.
Additional updates will be posted to the official Environmental
Institute at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Facebook page.
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