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.

Introduction to Natural BeekeepingWeekend Workshop

16th & 17th February

Deepen your connection with bees.

Explore the spiritual and practical aspects of natural beekeeping.

Adrian’s course goes beyond the basics, offering insights into the miraculous lives of bees and their complex communities. You’ll gain practical skills for sustainable hive management while developing a deeper, more sacred connection to nature and the environment.

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.

Deepen your connection with bees.

Explore the spiritual and practical aspects of natural beekeeping.

Adrian’s course goes beyond the basics, offering insights into the miraculous lives of bees and their complex communities. You’ll gain practical skills for sustainable hive management while developing a deeper, more sacred connection to nature and the environment.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

You are new to beekeeping and want to acquire foundational skills.
You have prior beekeeping experience and seek to refine your techniques.
You are passionate about the lives of bees and seek a deeper connection.
You want to practice beekeeping that is environmentally friendly and supports bee health.
If you live in Geelong, Lara, Torquay, Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Drysdale, 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.

Discover

The lifecycle of honey bees and their development within the hive.
The benefits of maintaining natural honeycomb for healthy bee colonies.
How to safely catch swarms and the equipment needed.
Best locations for placing your beehive to ensure bee health.
The therapeutic uses of honey bee products like honey, propolis, and beeswax.
Effective management techniques for Kenyan top bar hives.

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?

Complete course notes and resources
An inspection inside a working Kenyan Top Bar beehive in the Geelong area.
Step-by-step plans to build your own Kenyan Top Bar Hive
Extensive list of recommended beekeeping reading and online resources
Refreshments including 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.

Meet the facililtator

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

This beekeeping course begins with an introduction to Adrian Iodice’s personal journey and the sacred nature of bees.

You’ll explore the profound spiritual connection with bees and their essential role in nature, highlighting the importance of natural beekeeping practices for sustainability and bee health.

The course covers various bee products such as honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, and wax, explaining their uses and benefits.

Following this, the course delves into bee biology and behavior, discussing the development and roles of 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, with a holistic beekeeping approach.

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 how to harvest and process honeycomb and wax efficiently. Finally, the course addresses managing 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

Geelong, Victoria

Introduction to Natural BeekeepingWeekend Workshop

16th & 17th February