OUR 2023 ONLINE COURSES
Intro to Honey Bees
$75.00
January 18th & 25th
Wednesdays 5:00 - 7:00 pm PST Online
Course Description
You may have an interest in working with bees, and want to get to know them a little deeper before diving into beekeeping. Or maybe you are a homesteader or gardener thinking of incorporating an apiary into your home for pollination benefits and a little bit of honey too. This introductory course is perfect for you as we explore the magic of honeybees, their origins, history and modern day applications. This class is not a “how to beekeeping course” rather a moment to revel in awe and learn the incredible feats of magic these bees play out daily.
We’ll investigate some cultural practices and traditions centered around honeybees and native bees, explore the members of the hive, bee biology, what their roles are internally and for the ecosystem at large, and have a solid understanding of their importance to our planet.
Course Details
Anyone hoping to further their understanding of the honeybee, native bees, and pollinators. Your background could be from a variety of interests, not limited to gardening, beekeeping, or farming. Anyone seeking to also understand a little more deeply why pollinators are so vital to our ecosystems, food supply, and global health. This course is for you if you have always loved bees and wanted to know more!
Topics explored in this workshop:
- Cultural and traditional practices of beekeeping throughout the world
- History of beekeeping in Europe and US
- Members of the hive and their roles
- Bee biology
- Integration of bees in the ecosystem
- Modern day agriculture and bee pollination services
- Causes of declining bee populations
- Solutions to support bees and pollinators
Course Schedule
Your enrollment includes:
- Two virtual 2 hour classes with time for Q&A and discussions
- Accompanying resources for each class
- Available class recordings
- Discounts for future courses or one on one mentorship opportunities (discount code given at end of workshop)
There will be one session available this winter in January. This is designed so that you can enjoy this learning opportunity in the slowness of winter and also have time to prepare yourself should you want to start beekeeping in the spring.
Course Location
We love hosting these classes in person, however to make this accessible to as many as possible we’re hosting online via zoom. You can join via video on your computer, laptop, tablet, or phone. Cozy up with your evening tea and enjoy learning from your own home. As mentioned, if you cannot attend a live session, recordings will be sent for your to review at your convenience.
Course Instructor: Anna Maria Desipris
- Anna Maria is a bee guardian, herbalist, farmer, permaculture consultant and educator with 10 years of professional experience in the realm of sustainability, beekeeping, urban farming and community building around the farm to table movement.
- She has been rescuing and relocating beehives to safe locations since 2011 and now shares with others this craft in her Bee Guardian Apprenticeship. She has also spent many years working around local food systems, gathering over 1000 key individuals around community tables and supporting local regenerative farmers and chefs.
- As an educator she has led over 100 workshops, lectures and courses on topics from the realms of beekeeping, urban farming and regenerative food systems.
- As a farmer she has been a key designer, planner and manager of multiple neighborhood farms and farming based educational spaces in Reno, Nevada and Orange County, California.
- Anna Maria is also a college professor, the founder of The Honey Bee Hub and co-founder of Bloom Farms (Desert Bloom and Sun and Bloom).
- She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Reno and an array of certifications in Permaculture, Master in Beekeeping, and Herbalism Certification.
Course Costs and Registration
Registration closes the day before the first meeting, or before 25 spots are filled.
Course fee: $75
Inquire for payment plans and scholarships.
Discounts available for youth/young adults 21 and under.
Intro to Natural Beekeeping
$100.00
February 2nd & 9th
Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. PST Online
Course Description
Many folks are feeling a call to work with honeybees in some capacity, as we are hearing more and more headlines about the uncertain state they are in. Being a steward of a bee hive can be a joyful and beautiful experience, enriching the lives of not only the beekeeper but the bees themselves and surrounding environment. However, for all those joining as hobby beekeepers, we aim to practice, to the best of our ability, natural beekeeping methods. It is critical that we as bee educators, farmers, gardeners, are pushing for a return to treatment free beekeeping methods that do not perpetuate further harm into the environment.
This Intro to Natural Beekeeping course will give you the background of what natural beekeeping is, the methods it promotes, how to find bees and set up your first hive, what kind of materials and equipment you will need and some notes on what maintenance looks like in your first year.
We also briefly discuss the sentience and innate wisdom of the hive, how their teachings compliment the greater ecosystem, and how we can learn through observation and stewardship.
Course Details
This workshop is designed for anyone who is ready to dive into beekeeping as a beginner with a natural approach. Those who seek to understand the historical beekeeping practices and its evolution through time, and ultimately returning to more simpler ways. This course is also for you if you have started your beekeeping journey fairly recently and could use a refresh or to explore treatment free/natural methods.
Topics explored in this course:
- Evolution of beekeeping through history
- Principles of natural beekeeping
- Treatment free vs. conventional beekeeping
- How to find your bees
- Materials needed for top bar, log, or langstroth hives
- Maintenance in the first year and beyond
- Importance of natural/treatment free practices for the environment
Course Schedule
Your enrollment includes:
- Two virtual 2 hour classes with time for Q&A and discussions
- Accompanying resources for each class
- Available class recordings
- Discounts for future courses or one on one mentorship opportunities (discount code given at end of workshop)
There will be one session available this winter in the month of February. This is designed so that you can enjoy this learning opportunity in the slowness of winter and also have time to prepare yourself should you want to start beekeeping in the spring.
Course Instructor: Anna Maria Desipris
- Anna Maria is a bee guardian, herbalist, farmer, permaculture consultant and educator with 10 years of professional experience in the realm of sustainability, beekeeping, urban farming and community building around the farm to table movement.
- She has been rescuing and relocating beehives to safe locations since 2011 and now shares with others this craft in her Bee Guardian Apprenticeship. She has also spent many years working around local food systems, gathering over 1000 key individuals around community tables and supporting local regenerative farmers and chefs.
- As an educator she has led over 100 workshops, lectures and courses on topics from the realms of beekeeping, urban farming and regenerative food systems.
- As a farmer she has been a key designer, planner and manager of multiple neighborhood farms and farming based educational spaces in Reno, Nevada and Orange County, California.
- Anna Maria is also a college professor, the founder of The Honey Bee Hub and co-founder of Bloom Farms (Desert Bloom and Sun and Bloom).
- She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Reno and an array of certifications in Permaculture, Master Beekeeping and Herbalism.
Course Costs and Registration
Registration closes the day before the first meeting, or before 25 spots are filled.
Course fee: $100
Inquire for payment plans and scholarships.
Discounts available for youth/young adults 21 and under.
On Sale
On Sale
Bee Guardian Apprenticeship
$300.00 - $2,400.00
February to October 2023
The first Saturday of each month, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST Online
+ 6 Sundays online and in-person gathering (see details below)
Course Description
Join us as we celebrate our 5th year of our Bee Guardian Apprenticeship!
Beekeeping, a craft practiced for thousands of years, has provided a deep connection between the human realm and bee spirit. In becoming a Beekeeper or Bee Guardian, you not only learn the art of working with bees, but in doing so inherently become connected to the seasons, environment, and in essence see the world differently. In aligning yourself with the bees and their perspectives, your understanding of complex systems becomes easier, and the understanding that “everything is connected” becomes crystal clear. Because bees are a keystone species, we see their impact and importance in the environment in many aspects. Their classification as a “superorganism” teaches us many concepts of biology and is also applicable to how humans could live and interact with one another.
Working with bees is not just about honey, but finding a way in which we can connect to something greater. Bees teach us how to slow down, how to listen, to observe, and be in integrity. Truly great teachers, working with bees will equate to a lifetime of learning once you embark on this path. Now more than ever, we need more people living life in harmony with the environment and in community, so much of this we can learn from these beings.
The feminine essence and force speaks through the hive naturally. We seek to work with the hive to reconnect to our own inner Queen, to feel the support of sisterhood and community, and become reacquainted with the sweet nectar and honey of life. We dive into not only the practical side of beekeeping, but the spiritual, emotional, and esoteric realms that we outside of time and space.
The Online Bee Guardian Apprenticeship equips you with the knowledge and tools you’ll need to begin your journey with bees with confidence. Whether you want one hive, or many, this course contains a well rounded curriculum to prepare you for this amazing journey. In becoming a Bee Guardian you also become an earth activist, a pollinator advocate, and more connected to self.
Anna Maria’s personal ethics towards beekeeping are rooted in Natural and Treatment free methods. Thus, this course will follow that protocol. The Bee Guardian practices move away from chemical treatments, genetic manipulations, and commercial scale beekeeping. Instead, we focus on healing colonies through nature’s intelligence and ideally breaking a dependence on artificial manipulations, poisons, and extractionary methods.
Course Details
This course is designed for individuals who are ready to embark on a beekeeping journey. We spend 9 months together learning the ins and outs of natural and treatment free beekeeping, from how to get your bees to the maintenance that will be needed. The beauty of this course is that the schedule follows the flow of beekeeping activities throughout the year.
A new addition to our course this year is the incorporation of “Plant Folk and Hive Medicine” modules which focus on creating hyper seasonal medicine and magic from the plant world and hive. The plants that will be featured will be in season, medicinal, pollinator supporting, and pillars to the ecosystem. You’ll learn how to transform gifts from the hive, honey, pollen, and propolis and marry them with plants for healing and support of home and self.
If you are still unsure of what beekeeping entails or want to know more about what natural beekeeping is, you can join us for our two winter mini courses: Introduction to the Honeybee and Introduction to Natural Beekeeping.
Your curriculum will include, but is not limited to:
- History and herstory: folklore, traditions, and mythology
- Feminine archetypes associated with bees, the hive through antiquity
- Basics: biology, terminology, swarm captures/lures, equipment and tools, different hive designs
- Starting a Hive: Selecting and preparing your apiary site, installing a new hive, honeybee roles, duties, internal hive life cycle
- Hive Maintenance: Performing inspections with care, healthy hive indicators, record keeping, seasonal tasks and duties, bee teas
- Honey and beeswax: When to responsibly harvest honey, how to harvest/package, rendering wax, creating value added products
- Activism and environment: Researching local city restrictions, beekeepers clubs, pollinator garden design, habitat restoration, native bee hotels, tree hives
- Advanced techniques: Splitting hives, identifying disease, to feed or not?, varroa treatment options
- Herbalism modules focused on plant and hive medicine
- Seasonal celebrations to tap into rhythms of Gaia and hive
Course Schedule
See picture with schedule!
The Bee Guardian Apprenticeship will run for 9 months for core curriculum, herbalism instruction, and seasonal celebrations. All sessions will be recorded for review and reference.
The Monthly Core Curriculum Sessions:
- The first Saturday of each month, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST
- 3 hours with some time afterwards for additional questions/discussion
- Participation and attendance is mandatory, up to 3 absences allowed.
- Please log in 10 minutes prior to the session start to ensure you are on time
- Saturdays - February 4, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, June 19, August 5, September 2, October 7 2023
Additional Gatherings:
Plant Folk and Hive Medicine - Combining the medicine of the plant world and hive, we join together as Anna Maria guides you how to make hyper seasonal remedies, potions, and medicines for our home, hearth, and self.
Equinox/Solstice Celebrations - Deepening our connection to the seasons and rhythm of Gaia and the hive, we come together to celebrate, reflect, nourish, and set intentions for the next season ahead.
- Plant Folk and Hive Medicine: Sun, Feb 12th, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. PST
- 1.5 hours online via same zoom room
- Spring Equinox Celebration: Sun, March 19th, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m PST
- 1.5 hours online via same zoom room
- Plant Folk and Hive Medicine: Sun, May 14th, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. PST
- 1.5 hours online via same zoom room
- Summer Solstice Celebration: Sun, June 18th, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. PST
- 1.5 hours online via same zoom room
- Plant Folk and Hive Medicine: Sun, August 13th, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. PST
- 1.5 hours online via same zoom room
- Fall Equinox Celebration: Sun, Sept. 24th, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. PST
- 1.5 hours online via same zoom room
- In person gathering at Sun and Bloom Farm: OCTOBER date TBD
What’s included:
- 9 monthly core curriculum sessions, lectures, and activities with Anna Maria and your fellow classmates
- Homework and reading assignments
- Additional resources provided via pdf, video, and our own ebooks
- 3 Plant Folk and Honey Medicine sessions, facilitated by Anna Maria to learn hands on herbalism working with the plants and hive
- 3 Equinox/Solstice celebrations to deepen your connection and flow with the Earth, hive and greater community
Post graduation perks:
- Monthly zoom calls with Bee Guardian graduates for further learning, sharing, and activation
- Access to one on one consulting with Anna Maria (your instructor) for any troubleshooting indefinitely
Course Instructor: Anna Maria Desipris
- Anna Maria is a bee guardian, herbalist, farmer, permaculture consultant and educator with 10 years of professional experience in the realm of sustainability, beekeeping, urban farming and community building around the farm to table movement.
- She has been beekeeping, rescuing and relocating beehives to safe locations since 2011 and now shares with others this craft in her Bee Guardian Apprenticeship.
- She has also spent many years working around local food systems, gathering over 1000 key individuals around community tables and supporting local regenerative farmers and chefs.
- As an educator she has led over 100 workshops, lectures and courses on topics from the realms of beekeeping, herbalism, urban farming and regenerative food systems.
- As a farmer she has been a key designer, planner and manager of multiple neighborhood farms and farming based educational spaces in Reno, Nevada and Orange County, California.
- Anna Maria is also a college professor, the founder of The Honey Bee Hub, Bee Botanicals and co-founder of Bloom Farms (Desert Bloom and Midwest Bloom).
- She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Reno and an array of certifications in Permaculture, Master Beekeeping and Herbalism.
Tuition:
Full price is $2700 with options available, please inquire for work trade positions and low income tuition opportunities. 25 spots available only!
In full: $2400 (discounted from $2700 for paying in full)
In two payments, February and June ($1350 each payment)
In nine monthly installments ($300 each month)
OUR 2023 ON-FARM EDUCATION
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OUR SIGNATURE
PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATION COURSE 2 WEEKS INTENSIVE JUNE 5-18 2023 |
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CHILDREN FARM & NATURE IMMERSION PROGRAMS
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MONTHLY FAMILY ORIENTED WORKSHOPS & HOMESCHOOL CHILDREN ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE FOR 2023 COMING SOON!
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SCHEDULE FOR OUR ON-FARM COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS & EVENTS COMING SOON!