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Sustainable Beekeeping: Equipping Newbies with Tools for Success

Extension Education

Amanda Bennett
Ext. Educ., ANR
Ohio State University Extension
Troy

Abstract

The Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School has been a staple for beekeeper education in the area for many years. Media attention to the decline in bee numbers, combined with a renewed interest in sustainable agriculture and local foods has led to a spike in people desiring information about beekeeping. Extension is uniquely posed to provide this education with timely scientific research and non-biased information. Although it is hard to capture, many sources agree the average age of a beekeeper in the U.S. is close to 50 years of age. There is a need to get more young people involved in the pursuit. For that reason, the target audience for this school is beekeepers with less than five years of experience, which includes people that have never kept bees. A “Getting Started” series of four classes is offered to teach individuals about bee equipment, bee biology, installing packages and first year management. Evaluations indicated that 85.1% of people that had never kept bees were more likely to become beekeepers after attending the school. More advanced classes for moderately experienced beekeepers or those that have attended in the past are also offered. In this session, we will cover the specifics of this grass roots program and ways to collaborate with local Extension educators, beekeeping associations, and other organizations to replicate the content. The results from a thorough post-program survey will be shared to inform educators who are considering offering similar programs.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.

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Authors: Amanda Bennett, Gregory Meyer, Trevor Corboy, Gigi Neal, JT Benitez, Marina Miquilini
  1. Bennett, A. Ext. Educ., ANR, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 45373-3239
  2. Meyer, G. Extension Educator, ANR, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 45036
  3. Corboy, T. Extension Educator, ANR, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 45121
  4. Neal, G. Extension Educator, ANR, The Ohio State University , Ohio, 45160
  5. Benitez, J. Extension Educator, ANR, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 45011
  6. Miquilini, M. Extension Educator, ANR, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 45385