People in white bee suits, standing around Adrian Iodice, the instructor, who is showing them honeycomb built on a top-bar of a Kenyan Top Bar Hive.

Toowoomba, Queensland

Introduction to BeekeepingA Two Day Course for Beginners

17th & 18th February

Read More

17th & 18th February

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).

Ready to embrace a holistic approach to beekeeping?

Learn the fundamentals of Natural, Bee Centric and Organic Beekeeping practices and theories.

Develop an inspiring reverence for the miraculous, wordless lives of honey bees whose complex communal patterns and systems draw us into greater and more sacred connections to life, nature, and community. Adrian shares an intimate knowledge and love for bees, so that skills learned are both practical and spiritual.

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.

Ready to embrace a holistic approach to beekeeping?

Learn the fundamentals of Natural, Bee Centric and Organic Beekeeping practices and theories.

Develop an inspiring reverence for the miraculous, wordless lives of honey bees whose complex communal patterns and systems draw us into greater and more sacred connections to life, nature, and community. Adrian shares an intimate knowledge and love for bees, so that skills learned are both practical and spiritual.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

  • You are interested in starting beekeeping from scratch with expert guidance.

  • You have experience but want to explore sustainable and bee-centric approaches.

  • You desire to understand the intricate lives and communal systems of honey bees.

  • You are dedicated to ensuring the health of bees through sustainable practices.

  • If you live in Toowoomba, Highfields, Oakey, Crows Nest, Pittsworth, Gatton, 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 phases of honey bee development and their impact on hive dynamics.

  • The benefits of natural honeycomb for bee health and sustainable practices.

  • Techniques for successful swarm capture and the essential tools required.

  • Best locations for beehive setup to promote optimal bee health.

  • The healing benefits of honey bee products such as honey, propolis, and beeswax, and how to use them.

  • Effective Kenyan top bar hive management techniques to support natural beekeeping.

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?

  • Comprehensive notes and guides

  • An inspection inside a working Kenyan Top Bar beehive in the Toowoomba area.

  • Plans to build your own Kenyan Top Bar Hive (Les Crowder version)

  • A comprehensive list of beekeeping literature and resources

  • Homemade morning and afternoon teas with 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.
Amazing workshop about working harmoniously with bees. Looking forward to putting into practice all that I have learnt. Thank you Adrian - loved every minute of the course.
Sandra Hudson
Laguna, 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

Great course, great people. Great hands on with the bees & the hives. Definitely have the confidence to look after my own bees now.
Joanne Vine
Ashford, New South Wales

Toowoomba, Queensland

Introduction to BeekeepingA Two Day Course for Beginners

17th & 18th February

Read More

17th & 18th February

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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