For all new beekeepers, we highly recommend taking a beginner bee course. These courses are offered through county bee clubs. For beekeepers who have completed a beginner bee course, there are several options for learning more.
Master Beekeeper Certifications
Massachusetts beekeepers typically pursue a Master Beekeeper certification through one of the following programs:
- The Eastern Apicultural Society offers a Master Beekeeper certification exam at their yearly conference (including written, oral, laboratory and field components). Beekeepers with at least 5 years of experience can apply to take the exam.
- Cornell University offers a 15-month Master Beekeeper Program. The program consists of four online classes, and three in-person final exams at the Dyce bee lab. Beekeepers with at least 3 years of experience can register for the course.
Other Courses
Massachusetts
Eastern Mass.
- Drumlin Farm (Lincoln) offers beginner and intermediate bee courses. For more info, visit their website.
- Wetlands Apiary (Brockton) teaches workshops on queen rearing (using the cloake board method). For more information, visit their website.
- Mass Department of Agriculture (MDAR) (Danvers) offers hands-on workshops about yearly colony management. Visit their website for more information.
- The Norfolk County Beekeepers Association offers an intermediate bee school, in addition to their beginner classes.
Pioneer Valley
- They Keep Bees (Montague) offers free online queen rearing classes, as well as hands-on in-person classes at a sliding scale. To learn more about all workshops, visit their website or check out this video.
- Warm Colors Apiary (South Deerfield) offers workshops on queen rearing and colony management. See their website for more information.
- Mass Department of Agriculture (MDAR) (Amherst) offers hands-on workshops about yearly colony management. Visit their website for more information.
Berkshires
- Berkshire Botanic Garden (Stockbridge) offers workshops on diverse topics, including beekeeping! See their website for a list of events.
State-Wide
- Mass Bee hosts conferences in the Spring, Summer and Fall. See a list of their upcoming workshops and events here.
Regional
New York
- Cornell University, Dyce Bee Lab (Ithaca) offers a queen rearing workshop, in addition to the Master Beekeeper Program (see Master Beekeeper Certifications above). For more info, visit their website.
Maine
- Maine State Beekeepers Association has a list of bee schools for the state of Maine, available here.
East Coast
- The Eastern Apicultural Society hosts a conference every summer. More information here.
If you teach an intermediate or advanced level beekeeping course and would like it added to the list, please reach out to Nicole Bell at nicolebell[at]umass[dot]edu.