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.

Shepparton-Mooroopna, Victoria

Introduction to Natural BeekeepingA Two Day Course for Beginners

14th & 15th October

Read More

14th & 15th October

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).

Start your natural beekeeping adventure.

Learn the essential techniques of bee-centric beekeeping.

This hands-on course will provide you with the skills needed to start and maintain a healthy hive. From understanding bee development stages to mastering Kenyan top bar hive management, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to become a successful natural beekeeper.

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.

Start your natural beekeeping adventure.

Learn the essential techniques of bee-centric beekeeping.

This hands-on course will provide you with the skills needed to start and maintain a healthy hive. From understanding bee development stages to mastering Kenyan top bar hive management, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to become a successful natural beekeeper.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

  • You are new to beekeeping and need foundational knowledge.

  • You are experienced and seek to refine your natural beekeeping practices.

  • You want to connect deeply with bees and their natural environment.

  • You are committed to environmentally sustainable beekeeping practices.

  • If you live in Shepparton-Mooroopna, Tatura, Kyabram, Numurkah, Nathalia, Nagambie, 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 lifecycle and stages of honey bees and their communal functions.

  • The importance of using natural honeycomb in beekeeping practices.

  • Techniques for capturing swarms safely and the necessary tools.

  • Best practices for hive placement to maximize bee activity and honey production.

  • Therapeutic uses of honey bee products like honey, propolis, and beeswax.

  • Management techniques for Kenyan top bar hives 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?

  • Complete course notes and resources

  • A live Kenyan Top Bar beehive inspection in the Shepparton-Mooroopna area.

  • DIY plans for making your own Kenyan Top Bar Hive

  • List of essential beekeeping literature and digital content

  • Refreshments with freshly baked 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.
Thank you so much Adrian, you brought such a peaceful atmosphere with you and were such an inspiration.
Bec Turner
Mypolonga, South Australia

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

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

You’ll understand the spiritual connection with bees and their critical role in nature, emphasizing natural beekeeping practices for sustainability and bee health.

The course covers various bee products, including honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, and wax, detailing their uses and benefits. The course then examines 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, promoting a holistic beekeeping approach.

A key 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.

Practical aspects of beekeeping are also covered, focusing on essential tools and safety measures. You’ll learn to harvest and process honeycomb and wax efficiently, ensuring you’re equipped to manage your hive responsibly.

Lastly, the course addresses managing common pests and diseases like Varroa mites, American foulbrood, and small hive beetle. Understanding these challenges helps you maintain a healthy 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

Fantastic experience and education. Your enthusiasm and passion for the bee hive organism and its important place in our world was well received and caught. Thoroughly enjoyed the course and came away invigorated and positively charged to make a difference in my local world. You're such a great teacher with so many accounts/stories to relay.
Andrew Shelton
Eltham, Victoria

Shepparton-Mooroopna, Victoria

Introduction to Natural BeekeepingA Two Day Course for Beginners

14th & 15th October

Read More

14th & 15th October

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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