Beginning Backyard Beekeeping (B3)
The 2019 B3 sessions enrollment now open!
The Beginning Backyard Beekeeping (B3) certification is designed from the ground up to cater to budding beekeepers seeking the shortest and most sensible path to having bees. The 4-week course will thoroughly prepare students with all the practical knowledge necessary to start working with honeybees in their own backyard.
An online test will be administered during the course and all passing students will receive official SBBA B3 patches, as well as receive an invitation to a catered B3 Graduation Celebration at the Buzz Hive in Whole Foods Santa Barbara. All students will receive official SBBA B3 diplomas as well!
2 sessions are offered for 2019 – Spring (February), and Fall (September).
The Spring B3 class will begin on February 5th.
The Fall B3 class will begin on September 4th.
Space is limited to 20 students per session, so sign up now!
Location: La Cuesta High School at 710 Santa Barbara St. in Room 2
Instructor: Paul Cronshaw – Paul has over 40 years of beekeeping experience.
Cost: $125.00 (Includes 1 year SBBA membership and site visits to SBBA’s apiaries for hands on training)
B3 2019 Enrollment Now Open!
B3 Spring Session Registration
B3 Spring Session Dates:
February 5, 2019 – February 26, 2019.
Every Tuesday for 4 weeks from 5:30pm – 8:00pm.
B3 Fall Session Registration
B3 Fall Session Dates:
September 4, 2019 – September 25, 2019.
Every Wednesday for 4 weeks from 5:30pm – 8:00pm.
About the B3 Certification Course
Spring 2019 and Fall 2019 SBBA B3 Sessions
There’s still time to get into a Santa Barbara Beekeeper’s Association B3 class after sold out sessions in 2015, 2016 and 2017, 2018! The Beginning Backyard Beekeeping (B3) certification is designed from the ground up to cater to budding beekeepers seeking the shortest and most sensible path to having bees. The 4-week course will thoroughly prepare students with all the practical knowledge necessary to start working with honeybees in their own backyard. An online test will be administered at the end of the course and all passing students will receive official SBBA B3 diplomas and patches. Students will also receive a 1 year membership in the SBBA, an invitation to a catered B3 Graduation Ceremony at the Buzz Hive in Whole Foods Santa Barbara and one year of invitations to SBBA apiary meetups.
2019 B3 Session: Spring (February 5-26). Four Tuesdays from 5:30pm – 8:00pm.
2019 B3 Session: Fall (September 4-25). Four Wednesdays from 5:30pm – 8:00pm.
Location: La Cuesta High School at 710 Santa Barbara St. in Room 2
Cost: $125.00 (includes 1 year SBBA membership and site visits to SBBA’s apiaries for hands on training)
Instructor: Paul Cronshaw – More than 40 years of beekeeping experience
SBBA B3 is a radical and progressive departure from traditional, anthropocentric beekeeping courses and certifications that tend to focus on how bees can serve humans and not how we can help the bees in their time of struggle for survival. This course is also highly recommended for established beekeepers who want to learn a new way of hosting and having bees that prioritizes the bees welfare above all else. When you walk away from this course, you will know exactly what to do next to help the honeybee and other pollinators thrive and to become the bee haver that you’ve always wanted to bee!
Topics covered include:
- Bee biology, behavior, energy and health
- Beekeeping laws
- Colony Collapse Disorder
- Pesticide and honeybee pests
- Bee stings and first aid
- Specific steps and considerations to become a beekeeper
- Hive selection (Top Bar and Langstroth), philosophy, and basic management
- Swarm behavior and catching
- Bee rescues
- What you can do to help honeybees and other pollinators
- Special considerations for beekeeping in the Central Coast climate
Space is limited to 20 students per session, so sign up now!
