In 2025, MCBA will offer TWO VERSIONS of our Beginning Beekeeping course.
Option One: "Online"
Option Two: "Hands-On"
The "Hands-On" course offers everything the "Online" version does, plus eight monthly mentoring sessions in the teaching apiary and an individual student project.
ONLINE
HANDS-ON
COMPARISON OF COURSES
(turn phone sideways to view chart)
| ONLINE Course | HANDS-ON Course | |
| Tuition (members only) | $90 | $185 |
| Class Size Limit | 48 | 14 |
| Six Online Classes Thursday evenings 7pm - 9pm Jan 23, 30 Feb 06, 13, 20, 27 | YES | YES |
| Sessions in the MCBA Apiary (The MCBA Apiary is in the field behind Brookside Nature Center. 1400 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902) | One "Tools & Equipment" Saturday, March 8, 2025 (four time slot options) | Eight Apiary Mentoring Sessions Saturdays, 9am-11am March 15, 2025 April 19, 2025 May 17, 2025 June 21, 2025 July 19, 2025 August 16, 2025 Sept. 20, 2025 October 18, 2025 |
| Textbooks Included | “The Beekeeper’s Handbook,” 5th edition by Sammataro and Avitabile | 1) “The Beekeeper’s Handbook,” 5th edition by Sammataro and Avitabile 2) “A Field Guide to Honey Bees And Their Maladies” Penn State Extension. |
| Five At-Home Quizzes | YES | YES |
| Final Exam (Open Book) | YES | YES |
| Individual Project | NO | YES |
| Registration Opens Dec 7, 2024 (See Prerequisite below) | YES | YES |
Prerequisite for both courses:
You MUST attend a Zoom webinar in order to enroll.
In order to register for our courses you must first attend our FREE 90-minute webinar, "Is Beekeeping Right for You?"
Why? Most people do not realize beekeeping requires investments of time, money, and studying. Beekeeping duties include regular hive inspections, feeding bees, and medicating them. Even collecting the honey requires know-how and physical labor. Beekeeping is a wonderful, fascinating, rewarding hobby, but we want you to understand what is involved before registering for a course.
You have three opportunities to fulfill this prerequisite.
To register for this required webinar "Is Beekeeping Right for You?" click the one date that works best for you:
- Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 7pm
- Thursday, December 05, 2024, at 7pm
- Saturday, January 04, 2025 at 10am
You do not need to be an MCBA member to attend the prerequisite webinar "Is Beekeeping Right for You?", but you must become a MCBA member if you choose to enroll in a beekeeping course.
Questions? Maureen Jais-Mick ph 301-801-6253 or mcbahoney@gmail.com
ENROLLMENT
OPENS
DEC 07, 2024
NOTE: Links will not work before enrollment opens
You are not logged in. Please login to enroll in a beekeeping class. You will also need the password given to you at the webinar 'Is Beekeeping Right for You" to enroll in a class. Thanks!