Gladstone-Tannum Sands, Queensland

Introduction to BeekeepingA Two Day Course for Beginners

12th & 13th March

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12th & 13th March

Saturday & Sunday
9:30am to 4.00pm each day
$470
One time payment
Bookings Closed.
See upcoming classes & courses
Limited to 20 people
Beekeeper, Adrian Iodice, is holding up a Kenyan top bar hive frame of honeycomb, showing five class participants a piece of honeycomb covered in bees.
Natural Beekeeper, Adrian Iodice, with open hands towards a Kenyan Top Bar Hive. He is explaining the positioning of the hive.
A close-up shot shows numerous bees crawling on a section of golden honeycomb.
A close-up shot shows numerous bees crawling on a section of golden honeycomb.
Six adult course participants, standing behind two newly built Kenyan Top Bar Hives.
A close up view of several bees, clustered on a piece of honeycomb inside a Kenyan Top Bar Hive.
Beekeeper, Adrian Iodice, is carefully inspecting a frame of honeycomb covered with bees inside a wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive.
Two fair-skinned hands are carefully lifting a frame of golden honeycomb densely covered with dark bees out of a light-colored wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive. The hive is open, revealing multiple top bars and another frame of honeycomb with bees below. The setting is outdoors in a sunny environment with blurred green foliage in the background. The focus is on the delicate process of inspecting the bee colony and their honeycomb within this type of natural beehive. The bees appear to be Western honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Learn the art of natural beekeeping.

Gain insights into sustainable beekeeping practices for beginners.

This beginner course offers a thorough grounding in natural beekeeping techniques. Adrian’s expert instruction will help you understand the crucial aspects of bee development, hive management, and ecological sustainability, ensuring you can create a thriving, healthy hive while supporting broader environmental health.

enrol now
A selection of various Kenyan top bar Hive images framed inside honeycomb shapes. Some are close-ups and some are images of Adrian teaching beekeeping courses.

Learn the art of natural beekeeping.

Gain insights into sustainable beekeeping practices for beginners.

This beginner course offers a thorough grounding in natural beekeeping techniques. Adrian’s expert instruction will help you understand the crucial aspects of bee development, hive management, and ecological sustainability, ensuring you can create a thriving, healthy hive while supporting broader environmental health.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

  • You are just starting out and need foundational beekeeping knowledge.

  • You have prior knowledge and aim to adopt sustainable beekeeping practices.

  • You are fascinated by the spiritual and ecological aspects of bees.

  • You want to support bee health through eco-friendly beekeeping.

  • If you live in Gladstone-Tannum Sands, Boyne Island, Calliope, Agnes Water, Miriam Vale, Seventeen Seventy, or the surrounding area

Adrian Iodice is holding up a top bar with honeycomb covered in bees. Students close by are leaning in to see.
Adrian Iodice is holding up a top bar with honeycomb covered in bees. Students close by are leaning in to see.

Discover

  • The growth stages of honey bees and their significance in hive life.

  • The role of natural honeycomb in supporting bee colony strength.

  • How to safely catch a swarm and the equipment needed.

  • Ideal hive placement strategies to boost productivity and bee well-being.

  • The healing products provided by honey bees, including honey, propolis, beeswax, and their various uses.

  • Kenyan top bar hive management techniques for natural and efficient beekeeping practices.

A detailed close-up shows a single Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) with a light brown and black striped abdomen, delicate translucent wings, and fuzzy thorax. It is positioned on a section of golden-brown honeycomb, with its head and front legs inside one of the hexagonal cells. The background is softly blurred.
A detailed close-up shows a single Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) with a light brown and black striped abdomen, delicate translucent wings, and fuzzy thorax. It is positioned on a section of golden-brown honeycomb, with its head and front legs inside one of the hexagonal cells. The background is softly blurred.

What’s included?

  • In-depth training materials

  • A look inside a working Kenyan top bar hive in the Gladstone-Tannum Sands area.

  • DIY guide for building a Kenyan Top Bar Hive

  • A full list of great beekeeping books, websites, and films

  • Refreshments including homemade bread, butter, and raw honey

Adrian Iodice is pictured, carefully opening a wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive. Bees are visible inside the hive and flying around the entrance. Adrian is preparing to inspect the hive.
Adrian Iodice is pictured, carefully opening a wooden Kenyan Top Bar Hive. Bees are visible inside the hive and flying around the entrance. Adrian is preparing to inspect the hive.
A wonderful experience! Thank you so much Adrian!
Kerryn Martin
Bemboka, New South Wales

Meet the facililtator

Photo of Adrian Iodice smiling at camera.

Bees have such a beautiful nature; it doesn’t take much to fall in love with them.

~ Adrian Iodice

Adrian Iodice

Adrian Iodice has a deep passion for natural sustainable bee care. He started beekeeping with standard conventional Langstroth hives and since 2010, he began experimenting with and studying various hive designs.

Adrian is one of the pioneers of the ‘Natural beekeeping’ movement in Australia. In 2012 he studied biodynamic beekeeping at ‘Mellifera Centre for Organic Beekeeping’ in Rosenfeld, southern Germany. He has come to the conclusion that the ‘Kenyan top bar hive’ is the better hive suited to his needs and he feels that every ‘backyard beekeeper’ should truly consider the hive design they will eventually use for the wellbeing of their bees.

He teaches natural, sustainable beekeeping workshops all over Australia.

The venue

Course Outline

Learn natural beekeeping in this course, starting with Adrian Iodice’s personal journey and the sacred nature of bees.

You’ll understand the spiritual connection with bees and their vital role in nature, emphasizing sustainability and the health of the bees.

The course delves into various bee products, including honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, and wax, explaining their uses and benefits.

Following this, the course covers bee biology and behavior, discussing worker bees, drones, and queens, and addressing swarming. You’ll learn how to manage queens and swarms, catch a swarm, and install it into a hive, highlighting a holistic approach to beekeeping.

A major part of the course is dedicated to the Kenyan Topbar Hive. You’ll learn about its history, components, setup, placement, and management.

The course includes an inspection of a Kenyan Topbar Hive for hands-on experience, and covers transferring bees from a Langstroth hive to a Kenyan Topbar Hive, promoting sustainable practices.

The course also emphasizes practical aspects of beekeeping, focusing on essential tools and safety measures. You’ll learn to harvest and process honeycomb and wax efficiently, ensuring you’re well-equipped to manage your hive responsibly.

Lastly, the course addresses common pests and diseases like Varroa mites, American foulbrood, and small hive beetle.

By understanding these challenges, you’ll be better prepared to maintain a healthy and thriving bee colony.

This comprehensive outline ensures you gain a thorough understanding of natural beekeeping practices, fostering a deeper connection with your bees and promoting a sustainable environment.

FAQs

An incredible experience unfurling the mystery of the super-organism of the Bee. Delivered with such humility with true honour for these fascinating and sacred creatures.
Joseph Fairburn
Dorrigo, NSW

Gladstone-Tannum Sands, Queensland

Introduction to BeekeepingA Two Day Course for Beginners

12th & 13th March

Read More

12th & 13th March

Saturday & Sunday
9:30am to 4.00pm each day
$470
One time payment
Bookings Closed.
See upcoming classes & courses
Limited to 20 people

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