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Heroes to Hives

Bee Wise Farms’ Heroes to Hives Workshop Schedule

Instructor: Dr. Adam Ingrao adam@miffs.org

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

These are FREE Workshops offered to military veterans and their dependents by the Heroes to Hives program through Michigan Food and Farming Systems. More info at www.heroestohives.org.

EVENT REGISTRATION: You do not need to register for these events. Just show up at the farm on the date and time of the event. In addition H2H students, past and present, are welcome to attend our open to the public workshops happening the Friday before the dates listed below. Check out that page for more information if you wish. Bee Wise Farms Beekeeping Workshops.

Bee Wise Farms’ Site Expectations

  • You must bring your own veil and gloves to each session. No outside smokers or hive tools will be allowed at BWF.
  • Participants are required to wear veils/protective clothing while in the apiary, and dress appropriately for working outdoors with bees. 
  • No one under 18 is allowed at our on-ground trainings.
  • Please let the instructors know of any movement/lifting restrictions, and work slowly and in pairs to prevent injury. 
  • Please discuss the risks of beekeeping with your physician, and decide with them if you should get an EpiPen, or undergo testing for potential allergies. 
  • You do not need any experience working bees to take part in this program.
  • You do not need to own bees to participate in the program (I prefer you don’t have bees this year if you have never kept bees before).
  • There is no smoking allowed at BWF (besides the smoker for your bees, of course). 
  • Colonies in the teaching apiaries are not to be opened until after a smoker is lit.  During class times, colonies will not be opened without instructor permission.  
  • Be respectful.  Make sure that you help maintain a supportive and productive learning environment. Offensive behavior and/or language towards others will not be tolerated.
  • Although you will be taught proper hive handling skills, getting stung is part of beekeeping. If this is not okay with you then you may want to rethink beekeeping.
  • Workshops are not recorded. We do not film workshops as it is a distraction to attendees and instructors. 

SPECIAL NOTE: ALL ON-GROUND WORKSHOP DATES MAY CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER. ALL SCHEDULE CHANGES WILL BE POSTED ON THE HOME PAGE, THE HEROES TO HIVES FB PAGE, AND BEE WISE FARMS FB AND INSTAGRAM PAGES. 

IF CHANGES OCCUR THEY WILL BE POSTED AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE EACH SESSION.

On-ground Workshops: All BWF H2H Workshops are listed below will be in the field working live bee hives and conducting seasonally appropriate management.

Below are the dates and topics covered every month. All workshops are held from 12-2pm EST.

  • May 17, 2025: H2H Spring Splits Workshop at Bee Wise Farms: Learn how to do spring splits on overwintered colonies to produce new hives and nucs.
  • June 21, 2025: H2H Inspections and Varroa Monitoring: Learn how to conduct monthly colony inspections and monitoring for varroa using the alcohol wash and powdered sugar roll.
  • July 19, 2025: H2H Inspections, Varroa Monitoring, Mid Season Management and Honey Harvesting: Learn seasonal management to prevent swarming and learn how to harvest honey at a small-scale. We will also be covering monthly colony inspections and monitoring for varroa using the alcohol wash to make up for last month's cancellation due to weather.
  • August 16, 2025: H2H Preparing Colonies for Winter: Successful overwintering in Northern climates start is August. In this workshop we will cover how to start preparing your colonies for successful overwintering. 
  • September 13, 2025: H2H Overwintering in Northern Climates: Overwintering can be intimidating process. At this workshop we will show you how to set your hives up with winter equipment exactly as we do. This system has been taught by Dr. Adam over the last 10 years and results in averages of winter losses of less than 10 percent for most.