Bee

In partnership with the Marathon County Beekeepers Association, we are excited to present a day full of expert speakers with content for everyone from beginners to advanced beekeepers. 

Agenda

8:15 a.m. - 9:00 a.m  Check In & Vendors

9:00 a.m. Welcome

9:15 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. Keynote - "Mite Management", Gary Reuter

10:40 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Vendors

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Breakout Session 1

12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Lunch (provided)

1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Breakout Session 2

2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Vendors

2:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Keynote - "Better Queens: Nature & Nurture", Gary Reuter

4:15 p.m. Closing

Breakout Sessions

Morning

Beginner: "Beekeeping Equipment / Tools", Chris Hansen

Beginner/Intermediate: "Promoting Honeybees in Schools and Community", Todd Wilfer

Intermediate: "Wintering Hives / Deadout Evaluation", Rich Schneider

Advanced: "Beedkeeping Sustainability", Alex Zomchek

Afternoon

Beginner: "Beginning Beekeeping", Chris Hansen

Beginner/Intermediate: "Products of the Hive", Dan Schneider

Intermediate: "Bee Health Using Microbials", Slava Strogolov

Advanced: "The Future of Beekeeping", Alex Zomcheck

Speaker Bios

Gary Reuter (Gary's Honeybee Page)

A long-time hobby beekeeper and trained in technology education, Gary is an educator with the University of Minnesota Bee Research Facility.  He is a past president of both Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association and Wisconsin Honey Producers Association and director of the American Beekeeping Federation, and remains active in these groups. He still finds time to manage his own colonies, while learning to blacksmith, maintaining an orchard, and helping his wife raise sheep. 

Chris Hansen (Hansen Honey Farm)

Chris Hansen is the owner of Hansen Honey Farm located in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The Hansen's enjoy providing the surrounding communities with fresh local honey, and serving other beekeepers in the Northwoods by providing bees, queens and other supplies.

Todd Wilfer

Todd Wilfer is a middle school educator from Northland Pines Middle School in Eagle River, and he has developed quite a curriculum around beekeeping.  He uses bees to as a foundation to teach science, tech ed, and engineering skills to his students.  In addition, he has pioneered the Adopt-a-Hive program to engage the wider community and create a bee friendly habitat.

Dan Schneider

Rich Schneider (CapitalBeeSupply.com)

Rich Schneider is a beekeeper and educator from Madison, WI. He and his family own and operate Capital Bee Supply in Madison, WI and Calamus Creek Farms in Columbus, WI. Rich is currently in the 12th year of his 5-year plan to understand everything about honey bees and anticipates completion of said plan within the next 15 years. When he’s not thinking about or talking with people about honey bees, he is busy keeping Capital Bee Supply’s woodenware and steel manufacturing operations running smoothly and Calamus’s grain and honey operations flowing.

Slava Strogolov

Slava is the CEO of Strong Microbials, Inc.  University studies have proven the efficacy of the use of microbes to help fight pathogens and promote health. They have taken this knowledge from the lab and into the field with premium probiotic mixes, high end crop preservatives and soil, seed and root amendments. Our most popular product is SuperDFM Honeybee, chosen by America’s largest commercial beekeepers to support the health of their hives.

Alex Zomchek (Ohio State Bee Lab)

In his “parallel” life Alex considers himself first and perhaps foremost an ardent and impassioned, lifelong beekeeper. He is currently an active honey bee teacher, lecturer, and researcher at Miami University’s Ecology Research Center. Alex is a certified Master Beekeeper - “Instructor” with the Ohio State Beekeepers Association (OSBA). He is currently a Director in the Ohio State Beekeepers Association. He is also the current President of the Butler County Beekeepers Association. 

Cost

Early Bird Rate (Through March 1) : $49

General Rate (After March 2): $59

Cancellation Policy

If for any reason you are unable to attend your scheduled course, please contact us prior to the start date of the course. This will ensure that we can provide a full refund of your course fees. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevented you from attending a course, please contact our office as soon as possible. If we do not receive any correspondence from you, you will be responsible for full payment of course fees

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