Closeup of bees on honeycomb.

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Natural Beekeeping CourseStart Your Own Hive with Confidence

26th & 27th October

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26th & 27th 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).

Learn to be a sustainable beekeeper.

Understand the principles of natural and sustainable beekeeping.

Adrian’s course is designed for beginners, offering insights into the best practices for natural beekeeping. You’ll learn how to manage your hives in a way that supports bee health, environmental sustainability, and your own spiritual connection to nature, all under the guidance of an experienced beekeeping expert.

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 to be a sustainable beekeeper.

Understand the principles of natural and sustainable beekeeping.

Adrian’s course is designed for beginners, offering insights into the best practices for natural beekeeping. You’ll learn how to manage your hives in a way that supports bee health, environmental sustainability, and your own spiritual connection to nature, all under the guidance of an experienced beekeeping expert.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

  • You are new to beekeeping and want to learn from the ground up.

  • You have a solid beekeeping background and want to transition to natural methods.

  • You are passionate about the spiritual connection with bees.

  • You aim to practice beekeeping that benefits both bees and the environment.

  • If you live in Mornington Peninsula, Frankston, Dandenong, Hastings 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 different stages of honey bee development and their roles.

  • The importance of maintaining natural honeycomb in hives.

  • How to effectively catch swarms and what equipment to use.

  • Best practices for placing your beehive for ideal conditions.

  • The healing benefits of honey bee products such as honey, propolis, and beeswax.

  • 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?

  • Complete course handouts and resources

  • A live Kenyan Top Bar beehive inspection in the Mornington Peninsula area.

  • DIY instructions for a Kenyan Top Bar Hive

  • Recommended list of beekeeping books, websites, and educational films

  • Refreshments featuring homegrown 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.
Amazing course, Adrian is very knowledgeable, personable and approachable.
Barb Robillard
Golden Point, Victoria

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

Mornington Peninsula Victoria

The Revillaging Project, 182 Brown’s Road Boneo Victoria Australia

The Revillaging Project asks the big questions surrounding what it takes to create a sustainable future.

They are exploring the intersection of personal wellness, family wellness, and environmental wellness, with a specific focus on finding a new and hopeful way forward, guided by Indigenous wisdom that can support (re)learning how to care for each other and Mother Earth.

They are grounded in community building, regenerative farming, well-being practices, and land preservation, recognizing the the urgent need for a more resilient model that can support families around connection to land, food, spirit and sustainability.

With the Seven Generations mindset, They are doing this for each of our children and those to follow.

They believe that our relationship with the land mirrors our relationships with others.

They believe that creating a space to experience and teach regenerative principles whilst nurturing the human spirit, can drive meaningful social and environmental change.

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

Adrian is an incredibly generous and patient teacher. His love and deep respect for bees is contagious.
Andrew Wadsworth
Mullumbimby, New South Wales

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Natural Beekeeping CourseStart Your Own Hive with Confidence

26th & 27th October

Read More

26th & 27th 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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