Become a beekeeper in this seven-month hands-on class that meets one Sunday per month while following the life of Honeybees. The first class is Sunday, April 27, 2025, and continues every fourth Sunday of the month from April through October unless otherwise noted.
This experiential class will cover the historic folklore, agricultural politics and current sciences of sustainable beekeeping in northern climates. The seven-session class is designed for beginning beekeepers and will provide hands-on experience at each turning point of the season. Each session will focus on the changing tasks that are involved with keeping bees and will include one-on-one time with the hives, guided by Hailey Kisch from Big Sky Acres.
The class meets the educational requirements for the WEI Beekeeping Certificate. To earn a WEI Certificate, registrants must attend at least 6 of 7 classes. The class schedule is subject to change and dates will be rescheduled if needed due to weather or other circumstances. We will be following all current CDC and Minnesota State guidelines pertaining to any epidemic at the time of each class.
Class schedule.
Beekeeping at WEI is committed to the health of the bees, organic care practices as much as possible and an understanding of bees on the farm as integral to the farm’s ecosystem.
April 27: Overview of beginning organic beekeeping. Where to buy the necessary equipment, supplies and bees; how to build a hive, setting up hives.
May 25: Hive day inspections: anti-swarming techniques, reversal of hive boxes in overwintered colonies, planting fall flowers for pollinators
June 29: Hive day inspections: honey assessment, prepping for nectar flow
July 27: Hive day inspections: Varroa mite counts and hive diseases
August 24: All things honey extracting
September 28: Prepping the hives in fall to prepare them to survive over winter.
October 26: All things Beeswax, winterizing hives and saying goodbye
All are welcome – WEI classes are open to everyone.
Instructor Bio: Hailey Kisch dedicated to sustainability and food sovereignty, with a B.S. in Soil and Water Science and an M.S. in Range Science from Montana State University. She applies this expertise on her farm outside Shafer, where she and her husband, Trevor, raise their four children while focusing on sustainable farming practices. Starting with a small chicken coop and garden, their farm now produces high-quality produce and pasture-raised animals, all while preserving the land’s health for future generations. Education is key, as Hailey and Trevor teach their children about soil health and resource preservation.
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