Here's what's coming up this year at the CBA Bee Yard - Join us for hands-on beekeeping workshops!
Please register below to participate in these hands-on workshops, and learn how to care for your bees throughout the year...
All CBA Bee Yard events are held at the Boulder Knoll Bee Yard, and appropriate attire/protective clothing is required for all participants.
About our Bee Yard
Boulder Knoll Bee Yard
875 Boulder Rd, Cheshire, CT 06410
CBA established a new bee yard in 2022 to provide an ideal space for teaching the art of beekeeping. The yard is easily accessible, with ample parking. Situated on the top of a rise in the landscape, the new yard offers both bees and participants plenty of open space and full sun. The area's floral sources are abundant and bloom from early spring until late fall. Join us at CBA’s Boulder Knoll Bee Yard for a hands-on beekeeping experience!
Safety & Attire
All participants at CBA bee yard activities or any other CBA-sponsored event involving live bees must be properly dressed and wear personal protective equipment designed specifically for beekeeping. Personal protection equipment and proper dress includes, but is not limited to, complete coverage of bare skin with light-colored clothing - nothing black. All participants must wear a proper bee veil or bee suit and closed-toed shoes at all times. Bees sting and inject venom, so if you are concerned about your reaction, please consult a physician before attending.
Weather & Rescheduling
Just in case it rains or there is inclement weather on the day of a workshop, we may reschedule any workshop to another day. If this happens, we will notify all registered attendees - make sure you register to receive event updates!
Register to attend 2024 CBA Bee Yard Workshops using the links below:
March 2024 - Spring Hive Inspection & Brood Evaluation
In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll check and clean our hives, rotate comb, and - schedule permitting - install a package of bees.
April 2024 - Varroa Management, Swarm Signs, and Top Bar Hive Inspection
In this beekeeping workshop, we'll be checking hives for reproductive swarms, and varroa. We'll also demonstrate top bar hive and Langstroth hives.
May 2024 - Supering, Nucleus Hives, and Swarm Management Workshop
This beekeeping workshop will focus on supering Langstroth hives for honey production, using nucleus hives, and swarm Management.
June 2024 - Early Summer Hive Inspection
This inspection will look for Small Hive Beetles and evaluated the queen & hive populations. We’ll do an alcohol wash for varroa and check honey stores.
July 2024 - Single Brood Box Inspection & Varroa Treatment
In this beekeeping workshop we’ll do a varroa count, discuss treatment options, and perform a single brood box inspection.
August 2024 - Late Summer Inspection and Fall Preparation
In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll evaluate a colony’s stores, observe what’s occurring with brood rearing, and check for varroa.
September 2024 - Varroa Counts and Honey Stores Evaluation
In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll consider colony size, determine if the honey stores are sufficient, and, if not, how to feed to increase stores.
October 2024 - Winterization Workshop
In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll focus on overwintering colonies in an insulated hive body.
Beekeeping Workshops led by Bill Hesbach
Bill is a Connecticut native with a background in engineering. He's an Eastern Apicultural Society Certified Master Beekeeper and graduate of the University of Montana's Master Beekeeping Program. Bill is on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Apicultural Society, and is President of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association. He teaches bee biology and beekeeping methods at events hosted by regional organizations, and appears as a guest speaker at national seminars. Bill's articles appear in Bee Culture, Bee Craft, and The American Bee Journal.