What's the buzz about beekeeping?

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, in partnership with the Northeast Minnesota Beekeepers Association, is hosting a daylong workshop, Beekeeping and More! on Saturday, Feb. 16, for anyone interested in learning about beekeeping as a hobby or as a commercial enterprise. The symposium will open at 8:30 a.m. and classes run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., starting in the college commons. Preregistration is encouraged.

The first Beekeeping and More workshop held in 2016 drew in more than 150 beekeepers, and the event has kept growing, making it one of the largest beekeeping workshops in northern Minnesota.

Session topics include equipment, general troubleshooting, beginning beekeeping, bee hotels, colony communication, varroa mites, gentle beekeeping, and creating bee-related products.

"This will be a great day of learning and information-sharing for both novice and experienced beekeepers," said Courtney Kowalczak, director of the Environmental Institute at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. "There will be plenty of time to meet other beekeepers, ask for advice, get questions answered, and share ideas."

Opening speaker Guy Degerstedt of the Northeastern Minnesota Beekeepers Association will introduce the basics of beekeeping and cover everything a new beekeeper needs to understand. His talk will cover equipment requirements, troubleshooting, developing a timeline for a new beekeeper's first year of beekeeping, getting stung, and more.

Britt Forsberg of Minnesota Bee Atlas will present information about different species of bees and wasps that are commonly found and how to identify them visiting artificial hives or bee hotels.

Jessica Helgen from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad will present on how honey bees communicate through pheromones and how paying attention to hive scents can make a better and more effective beekeeper.

The fourth annual Beekeeping and More! workshop is presented by Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College through support from a United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant and in partnership with the Northeastern Minnesota Beekeepers Association. The workshop is part of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College's Environmental Institute and Extension programs.

Registration is $20 for Northeastern Beekeepers Association members, and $25 for non-members. Preregistration is encouraged and available online at https://www.signmeup.com/reg/form/129043/registration. Same-day registration will be available as space allows, payment by cash or check only.

For more information, contact Courtney Kowalczak at 218-879-0862 or via email at [email protected]. Additional updates will be posted to the official Environmental Institute at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Facebook page.