Bee Keeping

Beekeeping Skill Set

Employability skills

• Communicate and interact effectively with others
• Manage your training and continuing education
• Manage time effectively
• Maintain health and safety on the job
• Combat a small fire
• Perform basic emergency and first aid procedures
• Handle hazardous farm materials safely
• Demonstrate knowledge of basic personal finances
• Maintain health and safety while working with bees

Handling bees

• Perform field work with colonies
• Perform field work with queens and cells
• Feed bees sugar and protein
• Receive and install package bees
• Perform routine field work
• Demonstrate understanding of pollination requirements
• Prepare for winter and complete related activities
• Describe bee specialty enterprises
• Demonstrate understanding of basic bee biology and behavior

Maintaining bee health

• Use integrated pest management strategies
• Prevent brood diseases
• Control parasitic mites
• Prevent Nosema disease
• Manage vandals and wildlife
• Minimize pesticide damage

Operating bee equipment

• Maintain hive equipment
• Extract honey and wax
• Describe functions and design of buildings
• Operate and maintain fork-lifts, boom trucks, power tailgates
• Operate and maintain trucks, trailer and accessories
• Operate small tools and accessories
• Use basic handle and power shop tools

Beekeeping business planning

• Develop and follow a business plan
• Plan the winter and spring season
• Schedule production season activities
• Comply with government & industry regulations
• Understand owning and growing a beekeeping business