Sun shining through honeycomb. Several bees are silhouetted against the honeycomb.

Hawkesbury Region, New South Wales

Natural Beekeeping WorkshopA Two Day Course for Beginners

16th & 17th March

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16th & 17th 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).

Start your beekeeping journey with expert guidance.

Master the basics of natural and sustainable beekeeping.

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles of natural beekeeping. Adrian’s expert instruction will help you understand the crucial aspects of bee development and hive management, ensuring you can create a thriving, healthy hive while supporting broader ecological sustainability and bee 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.

Start your beekeeping journey with expert guidance.

Master the basics of natural and sustainable beekeeping.

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles of natural beekeeping. Adrian’s expert instruction will help you understand the crucial aspects of bee development and hive management, ensuring you can create a thriving, healthy hive while supporting broader ecological sustainability and bee health.

enrol now

This course is for you if:

  • You are a newcomer to beekeeping aiming to gain practical, hands-on experience.

  • You are an established beekeeper interested in enhancing your expertise in organic beekeeping.

  • You are interested in the sacred and miraculous aspects of bee life.

  • You are looking for ways to support bee health while protecting the environment.

  • If you live in Hawkesbury Region, Windsor, Richmond, Kurrajong 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 stages of honey bee development and their roles within the hive, crucial for beekeeping.

  • Why natural honeycomb is essential for healthy and thriving bee colonies.

  • Step-by-step guidance on how to catch a swarm, including the tools and equipment needed.

  • Best practices for positioning your beehive to maximize bee health and honey production.

  • 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?

  • Full course notes and reference materials

  • A live Kenyan Top Bar beehive inspection in the Hawkesbury Region area.

  • Instructions to create your own Kenyan Top Bar Hive

  • Extensive list of recommended beekeeping reading and online resources

  • Tea time with homemade bread, creamy 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 very enjoyable couple of days.
Julie Hilbers
Yabberup, Western 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

Bandusia Country Retreat

1056 Upper Macdonald Rd Upper MacDonald (St Albans) NSW Australia

Bandusia is a traditional Bed and Breakfast Country Retreat only 2 hours drive from Sydney CBD.

Couples can enjoy a romantic weekend getaway 30 minutes from Wisemans Ferry and families or groups of friends are equally at home in their secluded surrounds.

They also accommodate Corporate Groups, Yoga, Health, Business and Personal Empowerment Retreats at special rates.

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

I got so much good practical information and advice from the workshop. Well worth investing the time to do a course with Adrian as he has spent years gathering first hand experience with bee management. He delivers this info with honesty and care. Even if you have been bee keeping for a while he gives you many new insights.
Annie Malone
Bunbury, Western Australia

Hawkesbury Region, New South Wales

Natural Beekeeping WorkshopA Two Day Course for Beginners

16th & 17th March

Read More

16th & 17th March

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

Book now

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