Beekeeping Courses

Bees are such fascinating, hardworking and important creatures that we just love 'em!

If you're interested in setting up your own hives, learning about bees, or just want an interesting day out and experience for you or a family member, we now offer two ways you can get up close and personal with apis mellifera (the honey bee) and our native bees. By appointment only:

1. Meet the Bees

• A 2 hour visit to our NSW farmstay where you will get a personal tour of our sustainable small farm, don a beekeeping suit and come out to the hives so you can see the bees in action. 
• Cost: $165 incl. gst (for 1-2 people) includes personal farm tour, beekeeping suit hire and bee yard visit
• Gift certificates available
• Contact us at the farmstay to book a day or gift certificate to suit

2. Introduction to Beekeeping Course

• Run over 2 days (3 hours each day), this more intensive workshop is run by Rod the Beeman, a professional apiarist of 20+ years who is passionate about bees and has oodles of information to share with you if you're interested in setting up your own hives.
• Cost: $480 incl. gst (for 1-2 people) includes beekeeping suit hire, 6 hours of hands-on tuition over 2 days. 1 extra person @ $80 . Accommodation onsite extra, or stay nearby.
• Beekeeping course gift certificates available
• Contact us at the farmstay to book dates to suit

More About the Introduction to Beekeeping Course: Getting Started in Bee Keeping

Want to get started in bees and don't know who to turn to, what equipment to buy, where to get bees from, or how to protect your bees from pests like the small hive beetle? Maybe you just want to find out if you actually like being near bees before you invest money in your planned hobby, or perhaps you've inherited a hive. Whatever the reason, now's your chance to do something different for a few days. Meet Rod the Bee Man! Rod is now hosting hands-on sessions just 3 hours from Sydney.

Come for a mid-week break and learn all the tricks from a commercial beekeeper. Spend time at an amateur's set up as well as at a commercial apiary so you can see, feel and work with all the various types of equipment and set-ups used.

Rod's knowledge and enthusiasm for bees will leave you buzzing. Whether you want bees in your suburban backyard, city rooftop bees or bees on your acreage, Rod's special hands-on method of teaching will be just the start you need. In his 20 years of commercial beekeeping he's made plenty of mistakes - so that means you won't have to! During your sessions with Rod he's going to impart all his best tips and observations so you'll have a flying start with your bees. If there's something really specific you want to cover, he'll make sure you get the information and experience you came for.

What's On Offer:

What: 2 x 3 hour hands-on sessions on consecutive days with Rod the bee man. Ask all the questions you want, get plenty of hands-on practice, pick Rod's brains and enjoy his inspirational and information-packed introduction to bees

Where: Sessions are held 3 hours from Sydney on the mid-north coast of NSW near Forster.

When: Bookings are essential. You'll spend 3 hours each day with Rod on either a Monday and Tuesday, or a Thursday and Friday.

Why: Because Rod will give you a truly wonderful introduction to the world of bees and honey. He's a professional who speaks in plain English...and with passion. He'll arm you with the knowledge you need to become a natural around bees.

More About Rod The Bee Man: Rod got started with bees, by accident, 20 years ago. Working at a primary school, he was given the job of removing a swarm of bees from the playground. He located an old hive box and spent the rest of the day trying to capture the swarm, something that now takes him about 5 minutes. He took the bees home to his house and soon after a neighbour pointed out another swarm in a tree nearby. Just like that...two hives and he was hooked. Old time beekeepers slowly began to share their knowledge with him, books helped out a bit too, but a lot of what he learned was through trial and error.

With limited money he bought all the basics like a queen excluder, a smoker and a hive tool. When the honey started to flow he bought a small one frame extractor...these days he has a machine that enables him to extract honey from 70 frames at a time!

Over the years Rod has cared for as many as 300 hives, but these days he's taking it easier with 100. Rod and his bees produce more than 10,000 litres of honey a year.

Rod's favourite honey comes from the Grey Ironbark and Belbowrie Tea Tree.

Bees have captured Rod's imagination...and they'll fascinate you too.

"Fear of being stung shouldn't stop you from getting started with bees," says Rod. "Stings are a part of the business and you'll need to accept that...though one of my student's who loves her protective gear still hasn't been stung after a year!"

As a professional, active beekeeper, Rod can impart all the knowledge he's learned over the years, as well as some of the latest techniques for dealing with pests like the small hive beetle. He can coach you in a variety of techniques that most suit your personal ambitions and ability. He may recommend you start with a non-standard hive size if you're a woman or want to save your back! That's the benefit of your own private beekeeping teacher. Learning that's directed to you personally.

Every beekeeper does things differently and Rod can explain how he does things and how others do too so you find the style of beekeeping that's right for you.

Why You Should Get into Bees

• For fun and relaxation
• Because your honey will taste fantastic
• To help with hayfever (eating a small amount of honey every day from bees in your local area helps inoculate you to local pollen)
• So you know your honey is pure, not processed
• For family fun
• To lower your food miles
• Contentment
• To earn extra money from honey sales
• To improve pollination in your garden or on your farm
• So you never need to buy presents for people again...gift of home grown honey is the ultimate
• To make new friends with a local beekeeping group
• To help save bees
• For fitness and fascination
• For mellow days watching your bees come and go
• Because you only live once!

Add an Accommodation Package: You can find your own accommodation in the Forster, Taree, Hallidays Point or Nabiac area, or stay onsite at Honeycomb Valley Farm where one day of the course will take place. The other day will be at the commercial apiary. There's a great pub bistro and coffee shop nearby, or the farmstay's cottages are very well set up if you want to self-cater.

• 1 night mid-week accommodation in a fully self-contained 2 bedroom cottage at Country Roads Farmstay for 1-2 people. Includes all you need for a great breakfast. $300
• 2 nights mid-week accommodation at Honeycomb Valley Farmstay in a fully self-contained 2 bedroom cottage for 1-2 people. Includes all you need for two great breakfasts. $550 (this is a special beekeeping course price only, normal rate is $600)

What to Bring

We'll provide you with veil and gloves, but please also bring jeans, a long sleeve cotton shirt in a light/white colour (no wool), gumboots or workboots + socks. A hat. Notebook & pen Drink bottle for water

Course Payment: When you book, we'll send you out more information about the course, where and when to meet and more. A 50% deposit is required at time of booking your dates. This is refundable if you cancel more than 14 days out or if we have to postpone due to heavy rain. Otherwise, you will forfeit your deposit if you don't turn up.

Important Notes:

• If heavy rain is forecast, the sessions will need to be rescheduled
• You will need to sign a disclaimer that you are not allergic to bees
• You will need to sign a liability waiver before partaking in the sessions
• You'll need to have a beeawesome time!

It'll be sweet!