2026 Beginner Beekeeping Class

One additional attendee may be added for $15.
Additional seat only. No class materials included.

Beekeeping in your first year is mostly about learning to read the hive, keep it alive, and avoid preventable mistakes. This class is built around what actually happens in year one, not what experienced beekeepers do later.

No experience required.

Class Schedule and Location

• Dates: Monday, February 16; Monday, February 23; Monday, March 2; Monday, March 9; and Monday, March 16, 2026
• Time: 6:00–8:00 PM each evening
• Schedule: Five consecutive Monday evening sessions
• Location: Christ Community Church
• Address: 2700 E 44th St, Joplin, MO 64804

Classes are held indoors.

What’s Included

• Instruction across all five class sessions
• Learning materials provided for use during and after the course
• JABA membership dues for the 2026 calendar year

There are no additional required fees for this course.

Who This Class Is For

• People planning to start beekeeping in 2026  
• First-year beekeepers who want structure and clarity  
• Anyone considering applying for the JABA Scholarship Program  

This class is required for anyone applying for a JABA beekeeping scholarship.

What You Will Learn

• How a honey bee colony functions as a single unit  
• What equipment matters in the first year, and what does not  
• What to expect from packages and nucs without step by step installs  
• How to inspect a hive and understand what you are seeing  
• Feeding basics and when feeding matters  
• Swarming, queen issues, and common first-year problems  
• Recognition of pests and diseases new beekeepers are most likely to encounter  

The focus is on understanding, not memorization or advanced manipulation.

What We Are Intentionally Not Covering

• Advanced colony manipulations and splits  
• Detailed honey harvesting and extraction  
• Cut outs, removals, or advanced swarm control  
• Production or commercial beekeeping techniques  

Those topics come later, after you have experience and a living colony to work with.

How the Class Is Taught

• Structured and practical  
• Plain language, no hype  
• Focused on observation and decision making  
• Time for questions without rushing  

The goal is competence, not false confidence.

Scholarship Prerequisite

Completion of this class is required before applying to the JABA Scholarship Program. The scholarship is designed to support committed, prepared beginners, and this class establishes a shared baseline of knowledge.

Taking this class does not guarantee scholarship acceptance. It does demonstrate seriousness and readiness.

2026 Class Details

• Beginner-focused and first year appropriate  
• No live hive work required  
• Designed for local conditions and expectations  

If you want to start beekeeping the right way and keep your options open for the scholarship program, this is the place to begin.