BF 160: Introduction to Beekeeping (Self-Paced)

Getting your Hive Operation Off the Ground

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Getting your hive operation off the ground

Whether you are currently keeping honey bees, or are considering adding them to your farm, a basic knowledge of bee biology, diseases, pests, and setting up your colony are essential for success.

Understanding the difference between a drone, queen and nurse bee, knowing how to site your apiary properly, having a plan for Varroa mites, and knowing effective winterizing techniques will help ensure your hive(s) make it through the winter so you can harvest honey the following season.

This course, taught by experienced beekeepers and NYS Honey Bee Extension educators will give you real-world experiences paired with academic concepts.

Target Audience

Aspiring/Beginner – This course is geared for those who have plans to start keeping bees within the next 1-3 years, or who just got started with bees. Disease and pest issues will focus on the Northeast region of the US, though others will find much of the content useful to their locale.

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course, you will:

  • Know basic bee biology
  • Have management skills to support responsible decision making
  • Know what needs to happen with your hives each month of the season

Webinar Schedule

We will not offer a live version of this course during the 2024-2025 season, but you may enroll to take it on a self-paced schedule. This self-paced course happens on your own time, with discussions, readings, and assignments in Teachable, our virtual classroom. All webinars are pre-recorded and posted in our online classroom for students to watch anytime. Once enrolled in this course, you will retain access to all materials indefinitely, and can complete the course on your own schedule, at your own pace.


Student Testimonials

"So excited to get started with bees, and now I feel much more confident that I will be able to care for them properly."

"It was valuable to hear from all of the master beekeepers and learn how they have managed their colonies."

"I had no knowledge at all about bees or anything about bee keeping. This really opened my eyes to things I would never had thought or considered. I'm so glad that I took this course, because it's clear that I need to wait a year or two to get started with my first hive to give it the attention it deserves."

"Thanks for a great course and the valuable knowledge you brought together through the presenters. I have my bee NUC on order and look forward to starting my first hive in a couple months."

"I enjoyed this course very much. Even though I don’t live in NY, I was able to relate the teaching to where I live and where I have my apiary. Thank you very much for putting the list of speakers together, I learned quite a bit from their actual experience in the field."

Course Curriculum


  General Course Resources
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  Week 1: Introduction to Beekeeping
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  Week 2: Setting Up Your Apiary
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  Week 3: Basic Equipment for Your First Year
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  Week 4: Basic Hive Inspection, Part I
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  Week 5: Basic Hive Inspection, Part II - What to do When Things Go Wrong
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  Week 6: Introduction to Pests and Diseases
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  Week 7: I Have Honey! Now What?
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  Week 8: Preparing Your Colonies for Winter
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course officially starts and ends on the dates given above, when the instructors get involved and begin hosting live weekly webinars. If you are registering after the webinars have concluded for the year, you will have immediate access to all the course materials, and will be able to participate in the next year's webinars if you choose to.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 7 days and we will give you a full refund.

Online Course Tiered Pricing

The Cornell Small Farms Program offers a tiered pricing model to provide greater access to our online courses. To determine your course enrollment cost, please consult the chart below, and honestly identify your current financial situation.


We realize that not everyone is able to afford the price of our courses, so we also offer a small number of scholarships each year to New York State residents. To apply, please read scholarship requirements and complete the application here.

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