EXT XEN.0021 - Beekeeping in Northern Climates In Person
Description
Topics include:
- Purchasing equipment and honey bees
- Hiving packages and installing nucleus colonies
- Choosing an apiary site
- Honey production and harvesting
- Successful strategies for winter
- Dividing colonies in spring to avoid swarms
- Introducing new queens into divided colonies
- Best management practices for controlling diseases and mites
The first day will be in the classroom to learn about beekeeping. The second day will be active learning demonstrations that reinforce the concepts. There will be no live bee work due to the unpredictability of March weather.
Dates, Times, and Locations
Please note the location change between Day 1 and Day 2.
DAY 1: March 14, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus, Ruttan Hall, 1994 Buford Ave, St Paul, MN 55108
DAY 2: March 15, 2026, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus, Plant Growth Facilities West Room 140, 1552 Gortner Ave., Saint Paul, MN 55108
Lunch, snacks, and beverages will be provided.
You will receive a printed Beekeeping in Northern Climates, Third Edition manual as part of the course. If you would like a preview, a PDF of the manual is available to download for free from our manual page: beelab.umn.edu/beekeeping/manuals.
For more information about the U of MN Bee Lab, visit our website: beelab.umn.edu.
Registration closes when the class reaches its maximum capacity of 80 people, or at 11:59 p.m. March 4, 2026.
Course content questions
Katie Lee, Katielee@umn.edu
Registration questions
Extension Registration, ext-reg@umn.edu
User Name or Password help
UMN Help Desk, HELP@umn.edu, 612-301-4357; Let them know you are using a guest account for a non-credit course.
To register by phone, Extension registration professionals can assist you.
- Use this link to request phone registration: z.umn.edu/registrationhelp (preferred)
- Or leave a voicemail at (612) 626-5174. Someone will respond within three business days.
Please contact us at least two weeks prior to the first tour. Phone registration requests do not guarantee your registration spot. When you leave a message to request phone registration you will be asked for the course number and name. Please reference the "Beekeeping in Northern Climates In Person" in your message.