Women's Environmental Institute class: A Year in the Life of Honeybees. Become a beekeeper in this seven-month hands-on class that meets one Sunday per month while following the life of Honeybees. The first class is Sunday, April 27, 2025, and continues every fourth Sunday of the month from April through October unless otherwise noted.
This experiential class will cover the historic folklore, agricultural politics and current sciences of sustainable beekeeping in northern climates. The seven-session class is designed for beginning beekeepers and will provide hands-on experience at each turning point of the season. Each session will focus on the changing tasks that are involved with keeping bees and will include one-on-one time with the hives, guided by Hailey Kisch from Big Sky Acres.
The class meets the educational requirements for the WEI Beekeeping Certificate. To earn a WEI Certificate, registrants must attend at least 6 of 7 classes. The class schedule is subject to change and dates will be rescheduled if needed due to weather or other circumstances. We will be following all current CDC and Minnesota State guidelines pertaining to any epidemic at the time of each class.
Class schedule.
Beekeeping at WEI is committed to
the health of the bees, organic care practices as much as possible and
an understanding of bees on the farm as integral to the farm’s
ecosystem.
- April 27: Overview of beginning organic beekeeping. Where to buy the necessary equipment, supplies and bees; how to build a hive, setting up hives.
- May 25: Hive day inspections: anti-swarming techniques, reversal of hive boxes in overwintered colonies, planting fall flowers for pollinators
- June 29: Hive day inspections: honey assessment, prepping for nectar flow
- July 27: Hive day inspections: Varroa mite counts and hive diseases
- August 24: All things honey extracting
- September 28: Prepping the hives in fall to prepare them to survive over winter.
- October 26: All things Beeswax, winterizing hives and saying goodbye
All are welcome – WEI classes are open to everyone.
What to bring: Bee suit, veil, gloves, hive tool, outdoor wear. Snacks and beverages as needed. Instructor and WEI have several veils to lend. Please let us know if you need one.
Instructor Bio: Hailey Kisch dedicated to sustainability and food sovereignty, with a B.S. in Soil and Water Science and an M.S. in Range Science from Montana State University. She applies this expertise on her farm outside Shafer, where she and her husband, Trevor, raise their four children while focusing on sustainable farming practices. Starting with a small chicken coop and garden, their farm now produces high-quality produce and pasture-raised animals, all while preserving the land’s health for future generations. Education is key, as Hailey and Trevor teach their children about soil health and resource preservation.
Beekeeping is a central part of Hailey’s work. Over the past four years, she’s apprenticed with Mike at Bone Lake Meadows Apiary, deepening her knowledge of pollination and hive management. Hailey manages the hives at WEI and also oversees hives on farms in the Chisago County area. In partnership with Mike, she helps manage bees for an apitherapy center in Stillwater, using bees to assist with healing for various conditions. Hailey’s passion for beekeeping integrates pollinators into her farm, supporting biodiversity and reinforcing the important connection between humans and nature. Through this holistic approach, Hailey nurtures the land and educates future generations on sustainable practices.
If you would be interested in staying overnight at WEI before and/or after this class, please reserve accommodations through our FarmStay.
WEI has an annual scholarship fund to support cost-accessible programming. Please see scholarship application instructions in the class registration form.
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