Beekeeping course

course Presentation

During the flowery days of spring and summer ahead, come and deepen your knowledge of the wonderful world of bees and the art of beekeeping production with Harald Hafner. The Beekeeping course will be divided into 5 modules, which will take place on 14, 28 and 29 May and 25 and 26 June 2022. The sessions will take place in Ananda Valley, a place immersed in Nature on the outskirts of Serra da Estrela. You can participate in the whole course (5 modules) or only in the modules you wish. In July (date to be announced) there will also be a session on other groups of pollinators, such as bumblebees and beetles. 

 

 

Throughout the course, all the essential topics will be covered so that you can set up and manage your own hives and start extracting the products that bees so kindly produce there.

detailed content

The detailed content of each of the 5 modules of the beekeeping course is described below:

Module 1 (14th of May) – Introduction

 Importance of bees – A brief history 

Portuguese bee flora (some) and how to better it

Basic tools and gear, where to get them and how to use them

Different types of hives – different beekeeping styles

Where to best place your hives – how to keep bees, beekeepers and neighbors happy

Legal requirements and rules for keeping bees in Portugal

How to get bees into your hives – attracting swarms or buying bees

First peek inside the hive – The superorganism beehive, its different members and general organization in relation to its environment

First steps, observation and what to look out for

 

 

 

Module 2 (28th of May) – Biology of the hive

A detailed look at the superorganism beehive

Hive organization

Queen, drones, worker bees and comb – their function and key aspects of hive life

The swarming process – a new hive is born

Bee communication

Bee and hive anatomy

Bees nutritional needs 

At the hive entrance – what to observe

Hive inspection how to go about and what to look out for

More bee flowers

 

Module 3 (29th of May) – Hive management and development – interventions and inspections

General rules 

Accompanying your hive during the seasons

Strong hives – healthy hives

Summer and winter care

Managing the spring development

Swarming – from prevention to “let it bee” – to taking advantage of it 

Splitting and multiplying hives – create new hives, how and why?

Honey production

Other interventions

Feeding:  Why?, When?, What?

 

Module 4 (25th of June) – Problems of the hive: hive health

How to prevent disease – general rules

Main problems and diseases and how to recognize them

Varroa: Why it is a problem? 

Life cycle of the mite

Diagnostic methods 

Treatment options or “not to treat?”

Asian hornets and how to cope

 

Module 5 (26th of June) – Hive products

Characteristics, use and how to harvest with care:

Honey

Pollen

Propolis

Beeswax

Royal jelly

Bee Venom

 

How to best enjoy them and how to transform them (a selection)

Honey harvest

Propolis tincture

Cosmetics with hive products

Honey liqueur 

Other products (according to participants interest)

 

 

Prices and logistics informations

Accommodation:

– Options are available, please check the registration form

 

Meals:

Meals will be vegan (let us know at registration if you have any additional dietary requests) and will cost 10€/meal or 15€/day (including all meals).

 

Language: this course will be bilingual (English and Portuguese).

 

Payment options:

-The contribution for the beekeeping course (5 modules) is 150€ 

-If you choose to do isolated modules the contribution will be 40€/module

-The meals and the accommodation have an added price to the beekeeping course

 

Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJF2NyotBXvJO5qgfDdGdP5fq5Y4zdquRisU88YxcE5wrdRA/viewform

 

 

For additional informations please contact s.ornelas@ecoativo.pt or +351968502174

 

Additional yoga and meditation classes will be available to who wants to join during each day of the course.

about the facilitator

Harald Hafner is a professional beekeeper, beekeeping instructor and Master Beekeeper which lives in Mangualde, near Viseu, since 2006.

He is responsible for about 200 hives in the Beira Alta Region and for all the events and products related to bees at “A Abelha Azu”l (https://www.facebook.com/aabelhaazul)..

Harald combines his passion for bees with 25 years of experience and practice with bees and beekeeping in different countries and climate zones, and possesses a deep knowledge of the world of bees and beekeeping techniques. 

 

Dedicated to natural beekeeping practice, he offers workshops and beekeeping courses all over Portugal since 2011, and he has already inspired over 1000 new beekeepers to take up the craft.