Introduction to Beekeeping — Free Full‑Day Seminar
When and Where
Saturday, January 10, 2026 • 10AM – 4PM
Olive Free Library, West Shokan, NY
Snow date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
Register
Please reserve a seat in advance. If your plans change, kindly cancel so we can offer the spot to someone on the waitlist.
Overview
See if beekeeping is right for you—no pressure, no sales. We’ll cover the essentials for starting well in the Hudson Valley and how to keep healthy bees over the long term. Whether you’re brand new or want a solid refresher, you’ll leave with clear next steps and local resources.
Why starting right matters
Many beginners in our region start with package bees shipped from southern suppliers. These can struggle to overwinter here—especially without drawn comb, steady feeding, or a clear first‑year plan. We’ll discuss sustainable approaches, locally suitable stock, and management methods that improve survival and success.
What we’ll cover
- Honey bee basics: queen, workers, drones, and seasons
- Stock selection and locally acclimatized options
- Protective gear and hive designs
- Hive placement, installing bees, and first‑year timeline
- Predators, pests, diseases, and treatment options
- Recognizing a healthy colony and common beginner mistakes
- Safety, stings/apitherapy basics, neighbors, and local considerations
Who should attend
- Curious first‑timers and gardeners
- Folks deciding whether to keep bees
- Beekeepers seeking a refresher
- Anyone who wants to support pollinators without owning hives
Format and what to bring
- Informal presentation, hands‑on demos, and lots of Q&A
- We’ll break for lunch; bring a notebook and your questions
- Indoor seminar (no live hive inspections in January)
Questions or updates
- We’ll email registered attendees a reminder the week before and if plans change (e.g., weather).
- Contact: rob@bushkillventures.com
Rob is a friendly and great teacher! I recommend his class
The Intro To Beekeeping course was great. Very informative yet casual; engaging without being overwhelming. I appreciated Rob’s approach to local beekeeping, and am excited to start with my own hives in the Spring. It was also refreshing to know that one doesn’t have to spend a fortune on equipment when so many DIY options are available – for swarm traps, hives, etc. Rob helped demystify a lot of the process of backyard beekeeping, and made the information accessible to the lay person. I am an absolute beginner and I felt like I learned a lot from the class. I highly recommend it.
If you are new to beekeeping or thinking about taking on beekeeping, this is the site for you. I will be receiving my first two packages of bees the end of March 2015 and feel that I am prepared and ready thanks to the info I garnered at the Beginning Beekeeping Class and a couple of meetings I have attended. I will probably have tons of questions as I begin this journey but at least I know I will have a safety net with Rob Overton at the helm. He is a font of knowledge about bees and always responds if you have a question. I am so glad I came upon this group and will not be taking this journey alone.
The beginning beekeeping workshop is incredible. I attended both sessions of the beginning beekeeping workshops led by Rob Overton. He is an EXCELLENT lecturer. I left with my brain exploding from all of the information. In addition to topics such as be casts, strains, hive location, and equipment, Mr. Overton brought to our attention unexpected information like a bee’s defensive reaction to the odor of bananas. Who knew?
Until a few months ago, I never dreamed that I could become a beekeeper. I got more from 2 half-day lecturers than I have gotten from a few months of reading. These lecturers have given me enough knowledge about equipment and husbandry practices to at least get me started. The other valuable tool that I took away from the workshop was knowledge of a support system in the form of a beekeeping community/organization. That alone was priceless. This workshop is worth its weight in gold.
By taking this class, I have the confidence that I can start beekeeping and succeed. This class provided much needed information about everything specific to bees. I would recommend this class before getting into beekeeping. I think this is an excellent course. It equips you with the skills necessary to feel confident in working your hives and being around bees. I would highly recommend this course.
Are you teaching any classes after the March 5 class in Pine Hill which I am told is now too full? Where can I find out about these classes? Is it too late to start a colony in the Shandaken area this year.
Thank you.
Ellen
Ellen,
We offer the Intro course once a year at the Olive Library in January. We had a special request from the Pine Hill Library this year, that is why there is one in March. It is getting late to start this year, but not too late yet. We do have a monthly meeting at the Olive Library where there are always people willing to help and give advice to new beekeepers.
Best way to find out of our courses and workshops is to subscribe to our monthly newsletter -> http://hvhives.com/newsletter/
I attended Saturday’s workshop on beekeeping. I learned a great deal from Rob, a knowledgeable bee expert and an excellent teacher! His slides were amazing.
I took part in the workshop on January 8th, 2017. Rob did a great job at presenting and demonstrating things for the beginner and novice beekeepers. I am a beginner and got a lot out of the presentation. He answered many questions and I appreciated the questions from the novice and experienced beekeepers. Being new there are things I just don’t know what to ask. I hope to attend the monthly meetings at the Olive Library. Buzz Buzz….
I would love to attend the Intro workshop, but cannot make it this Saturday. Would you tell me if the introductory workshop is offered again this winter/spring?
Many thanks,
Leslie Barna
I wish I had known about this in time. Is there any chance it might be offered again soon? I am eager to get started, but I want to make sure I start right! There is so much I don’t know!
Hi Sarah,
Unfortunately the Intro to Beekeeping seminar is only held once a year. Upcoming education opportunities will be offered in our next newsletter.
Ditto what Sarah said…I can’t be there on January 14 either, but am interested and want to learn beekeeping. When additional classes or seminars are planned, please let me know and count me in. Many thanks!
Introduction to Bee Keeping was an outstanding workshop. Rob’s presentation was exceptionally well organized and it included valuable references that I found indispensable. His insights regarding bee keeping are based on years of experience and the scientific method. He is clearly a scholar. I would encourage others to take this workshop; it will be well worth your time.
Comment *This was a great class full of valuable information. I now feel I have the confidence to start a hive this next year, and the resources to do it. Rob was very patient dealing with tons of questions, and had an answer to them all! I highly recommend this class!
The Introduction to Beekeeping workshop was really terrific! So much fascinating information, and Rob is very generous in sharing his knowledge and answering questions about both the practical and theoretical aspects of beekeeping. I learned so much already and am eager to continue exploring whether beekeeping might be feasible for me.
Comment very informative and presented in an aproachable manner.bob answered question after question with patience.he is an encylopedia of bee keeping information.thank you mr.o.
Wonderful workshop. Rob is so dedicated to making it understandable without minimizing the commitment. Encouraging us to become critical thinkers in the process
The atmosphere is very informal, questions encouraged, no matter how basic.
Hi, will there bee another full day intro workshop this year?
Hi Brandy, The full day seminar is only offered once a year. We do have hands-on monthly meetings that are a good way to get experience and exposure with the bees.