A guide to beekeeping through the seasons
In collaboration with Minnesota beekeepers and with funding from a USDA NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant, the University of Minnesota Bee Lab team developed a new tool in the form of a guidebook to support beekeepers across the north central region of the U.S.
A Guide to Beekeeping in Northern Climates is designed to help beekeepers monitor colony health and manage their colonies throughout the seasons. It offers training on colony inspections and includes field sheets for note-taking, making it easier to track goals, observations, and seasonal progress.
This guidebook can aid a beekeeper working alone or to be an interface between a beekeeper and their mentor. Paired with a mentor, a mentee can report their observations and receive advice about their colony health and management, helping to build skills and confidence.
The guidebook is available as a:
- Free PDF download.
- Flipbook that allows a beekeeper to browse online instead of downloading a copy.
- Printed copy from the U of MN Bookstore.
A Guide to Beekeeping in Northern Climates, PDF download
Field Data Sheets Only, PDF download
Manual
The guidebook is paired with the Beekeeping in Northern Climates, Third Edition manual.
The manual is available as a:
- Free PDF download.
- Flipbook that allows a beekeeper to browse online instead of downloading a copy.
- Printed copy purchasable from the U of MN Bookstore.
- Printed copy included with the beekeeping course. Students of the Beekeeping in Northern Climates online course and the in-person Beekeeping in Northern Climates in-person course receive a copy as part of the course.
Beekeeping in Northern Climates, Third Edition
Acknowledgements
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2021-38640-34714 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number LNC21-448 with the title “Addressing honey bee health challenges in Minnesota through providing colony assessment tools and education for beekeepers.” USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
