Certified Naturally Grown is offering educational workshops to beekeepers in North Carolina and Virginia who seek to adopt natural beekeeping practices or strengthen their knowledge in this area.  Exchange ideas and discover ways to transition your operation to a natural, chemical-free operation without losing all your hives!

The Natural Beekeeping in Action: Managing Pests, Disease and other Common Problems workshop for Southeastern Virginia will be held Saturday, June 12, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach.  This one-day workshop will provide a series of lectures and hands-on demonstration sessions.  Registration is $12.

Lectures will include the following topics:

  • Feedback on winter experiences
  • Brief review of introduction to natural beekeeping workshop materials
  • Treatment options for:
    • Varroa mites
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    • Small Hive Beetles
    • Wax Moths
  • Preventing, diagnosing and treating American Foulbrood
  • Certified Naturally Grown certification process

Demonstration stations will cover the following:

  • Sticky board test and sugar roll test for Varroa mite sampling
  • Drone brood trapping & removal for Varroa mite control
  • In-hive and external traps for Small Hive Beetles and Wax Moths

Beekeepers younger than 14 must be accompanied by an adult mentor who also registers for the workshop.

Certified Naturally Grown’s apiculture standards are developed with the primary focus on the health of honey bees and the sustainability of beekeeping. They seek to define best practices for the beekeeping industry with these priorities as guides, and with the secondary focus on the agricultural products of apiculture (honey, pollen, and propolis).  brown_paper_tickets