Beekeeping can be a challenging endeavor and an experienced guide/mentor can help equip you with the right tools needed to aid you in getting through your first couple seasons! Beekeeping is different than other hobbies because once you have bees you now have 8,000 (or more) tiny flying insects that will sometimes need your help. Reading a book is one thing but do you know what you are looking for (or at) when you pull out a frame of bees?

Learn more about the 2026 mentorship

What You Will Learn: You will follow a successful and seasoned Master Beekeeper (me) for one beekeeping season starting this November (2025) and ending in October of 2026.

• Seasonal beekeeping techniques for our area
• Develop technical skills
• Learn about hive pests and how to identify/test/treat
• Learn the basics of woodenware and how to prep your hives
• How to conduct a mite check
• How to overwinter beehives in our region
• How to collect a swarm
• Tips and tricks for beekeeping on a budget
• Local resources for beekeeping equipment, bees, queens, etc.
• How to make a split

What You Will Get:

• Local bees (from a swarm-this saves you around $250)
• The chance to collect a swarm
• Hands on experience with bees before getting your own hives
• Learn the best place for bees in your yard, hive direction, colony nutrition
• Access to your mentor and others on a private channel where you can ask questions and get answers, share information, and learn from others
• A direct line to a professional beekeeper to ask questions of whenever you need
• Hands on experience processing beeswax & honey
• Accesss to a honey extractor

There are some skills that come along with being a good mentor and that is being a good teacher. It’s more than knowing how to do something but the ability to explain the how and the why. Make sure you find someone you click with and that has a proven track record! Let’s chat and see if we would make a good team! (423) 994-7687 *text preferred initially

Beekeeper Hive Checks: One-on-One Beekeeping Mentoring

Need an extra set of hands or guidance in your bee yard? I offer customized, one-on-one mentoring to support you at any stage of your beekeeping journey.

Things I can help with:

• Determining next steps with a weak colony
• Installing packages & nucs
• Feeding and colony care
• Mite testing & management
• Requeening, splits, and swarm catching
• Hive inspections (lifting, observing, and discussing your colonies)
• Testing for Nosema

I’m also available for quick questions via text or phone when you need fast advice.

Rate: $50/hour

Nosema Testing: I offer testing for Nosema, a common fungal infection that affects the health and productivity of honeybee colonies. Using a simple microscope analysis of bee samples, I can check your colony for signs of infection and provide guidance on next steps if spores are present.