Beekeeping Workshops

Dive into 2026 Beekeeping Workshops at Bee Wise Farms!

Join us at Bee Wise Farms, Newberry, MI, for these engaging workshops that blend education with hands-on experience in an apiary setting. Spaces are limited—reserve your spot today and become part of our beekeeping community!

Price: $60/person/workshop or all five workshops $275

Registration: Space is limited for each workshop and must be paid for in advance. Please do not just show up for these workshops and expect to pay the day of s space may not be available.

Location: Bee Wise Farms, 10192 State Highway M28, Newberry, MI 49868

Unlock the secrets of successful beekeeping in our immersive workshops for a hands-on experience you won't forget!

Upcoming Workshops:

May 30, 2026 | 1 PM - 4 PM EST | Limited to 12 participants
Boost Your Hive & Your Business with Splits and Nucs!

• Learn to expand your colonies with expert methods for creating splits and nurturing nucs for sale. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll master proven techniques to split overwintered colonies, grow healthy nucs, and sell them successfully to the public. We’ll dive into smart business strategies for nuc producers managing ~100 hives or fewer and will cover timing, production scale, costs, quality control, queens, return policies, and more. Walk away with the skills to keep your bees thriving, your customers happy, and your business buzzing with success!

June 20, 2026 | 1 PM - 4 PM EST | Limited to 12 participants
Master Bee Health: Pests & Pathogens Workshop

• Protect your honey bees by learning to identify and manage the most common pests and pathogens of honey bees. This hands-on workshop includes a 2-hour lecture with real specimens to sharpen your pest field identification skills and teach you how to recognize pathogen symptoms. You’ll gain practical strategies for treating affected hives and preventing future issues. The session concludes with a live hive inspection, giving you real-world experience in spotting problems during routine checks. Walk away confident, equipped with the knowledge and tools to keep your colonies healthy, productive, and thriving.

July 25, 2026 | 1 PM - 4 PM EST | Limited to 15 participants
Queen Rearing Made Easy: Non-Grafting Techniques

• Learn to raise healthy queens without the need for grafting in this hands-on, 3-hour apiary workshop. Perfect for beekeepers with physical limitations that limit the ability to graft or anyone looking for a simpler approach, we’ll guide you through non-grafting methods, including the highly effective Nicot queen rearing system—where we typically see 80–90% success. You’ll learn all stages of the Nicot system, how to set up a queen bank, and use modified Langstroth equipment for queen rearing using cells you encounter during inspections. The session is packed with practical, in-field demonstrations and comes with a handout to help you master the timing of every step. Gain confidence, skills, and strategies to expand your colony numbers while keeping the process accessible, efficient, and rewarding.

August 15, 2026 | 1 PM - 4 PM EST | Limited to 15 participants
Explore Alternative Hive Management 

• Discover the secrets to managing three popular low-lift hive styles—Slovenian AZ, Kenyan Top Bar, and Long Langstroth—designed to make beekeeping easier and more accessible. In this full 3-hour, hands-on workshop, you’ll work with live bees while learning seasonal management, overwintering strategies for northern climates, and practical tips for each hive type. Gain the confidence to choose and manage the hive style that best fits your needs while keeping your colonies healthy and productive. Walk away with real-world experience, expert guidance, and a clear understanding of alternative hive management that works for you. Note we will not cover polystyrene hives or Flow hives as these are still traditional Langstroth style hives.

September 19, 2026 | 1 PM - 4 PM EST | Limited to 12 participants
Overwintering Bees in Northern Climates 

• Learn the secrets to keeping your colonies thriving through harsh winters in this immersive 3-hour workshop. We’ll combine a 1-hour lecture on winter bee dynamics and cluster behavior with 2 hours of hands-on experience setting up colonies for success. Discover how to use the right equipment, monitor resources, feed effectively, and even leverage FLIR technology to track cluster position. You’ll gain expert strategies for minimizing winter losses and maximizing spring build-up, techniques we have proven to keep overwintering losses low in the Upper Peninsula. Walk away with the knowledge and confidence to protect your bees year after year, even in the toughest northern climates.

What to bring to the workshop?:

• Your own veils and gloves. DO NOT bring hive tools or smokers as these will be supplied.

• Water

• A chair if standing for long times in the apiary is a challenge (we will have benches in the hive house for lectures and in the apiary).

• Pen and paper for notes

• A positive attitude and open mind for learning.

Refund and Cancellation Policy:

Due to limited space, refunds must be requested at least two weeks in advance of the workshop date to allow us to fill your spot. No refunds will be issued after this timeframe.

Note that workshops may be cancelled due to weather and notifications to registered students will be sent out at least 24hrs before each workshop if they are cancelled and they will receive a full refund. We will also update this page with any cancellation information and will post through our social media pages.