15-month Beginner Bee School

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Ready to start your beekeeping journey with confidence? Our Beginner Beekeeping School is a comprehensive 15-month program (March through June the following year) designed to guide new beekeepers through their first full season—and beyond—with both classroom learning and hands-on experience.

The program includes six in-depth classroom sessions covering essential foundations such as honey bee biology, apiary location and equipment selection, pests and diseases, hive inspections, seasonal management, and package installation with final preparations for success. These sessions build the knowledge you need to understand what’s happening inside the hive and why.

Following the classroom session students participate in seasonal monthly hands-on apiary sessions that put learning into practice. Topics include mite testing, identifying pests and diseases, performing hive inspections, swarm management, and honey extraction. These field sessions are timed to the beekeeping season, ensuring you learn skills when they matter most.

•  A mentoring program for ongoing guidance and support
• A discount on initial hive purchases, helping you get started affordably
• Practical, experience-based learning designed for true beginners

 Whether your goal is to keep bees for pollination, honey, or personal interest, this school provides the structure, support, and seasonal insight needed to become a confident and successful beekeeper.

To get the most from the program and ensure a strong foundation in beekeeping, students are expected to:

• Attend all classroom and hands-on session
• Join the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association (RIBA)and attend monthly meetings
• Begin beekeeping with two 10-frame Langstroth hives
• Subscribe to either Bee Culture Magazine or American Beekeeping Journal
• Complete homework assignments associated with each classroom session
• Be prepared to spend $1200-1600 minimum the first season for start-up and maintenance costs

Classes will be held on Saturdays 10am-12pm on the following dates: March 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, April 4th and April 11th. If needed, a make-up class will be held on April 18th.  The monthly hands-on sessions will be the first Saturday of the month unless there is a conflict with package arrival or inclement weather. In that case, the hands-on session will be the second Saturday of the month. Classes will be held In Charlestown, RI.

 The cost is $450 per person; one additional family member may attend for an additional charge of $200. There is a class limit of 10 families. 

Registration and payment can be made through Paypal using the link below. Additional family member can be added at checkout.

If you prefer to register and pay using vemno, email BeeHappyHomestead@gmail.com with Bee School in the subject line and include your name, additional family member’s name (if applicable), and phone number and the venmo link will be sent to you. 

Please email BeeHappyHomestead@gmail.com with any questions!

Sara Michaud began her beekeeping journey in 2014 and has since become a respected leader and educator in the beekeeping community. She is a Cornell Master Beekeeper and a past guest lecturer for Cornell University’s bee school, where she shares both practical field experience and science-based instruction. Sara is the Co-Founder of Bee Happy Homestead and has served as President of the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association. She currently serves as Secretary of the Association, continuing her commitment to supporting and educating beekeepers across the state. Her teaching style emphasizes responsible hive management, strong fundamentals, and confidence-building for new beekeepers through science based and hands-on instruction.