This course teaches students how to produce and market bee products commercially. Based on the principles of honey bee ecology, the course begins with choosing and setting up each apiary. We will show how to manage and super hives for honey production, as well as how to remove supers for honey extraction. Videos of state-of-the-art honey plants illustrate the next steps in processing honey and wax by highlighting facilities that use automated extraction lines for high throughput of honey. Filmed demonstrations include making creamed honey, maximizing wax yield, and producing slumgum for value-added products. This course summarizes food product safety and personnel safety. Since honey is a food product, the class introduces the idea of implementing a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. The HACCP ensures food safety by tracking and reporting all steps in producing honey to trace each batch back to its source. During the course, students will learn about record keeping, food and personnel safety, and other requirements in the food production industry. Students will also learn how to differentiate and classify their bee products from others on the market, to improve their sales. This course teaches you how to maximize yields, ease production, and find profitable markets for your bees' products. Beekeepers who wish to expand their operations to a large scale or commercial level should take this course. The content also helps small and backyard beekeepers looking to maximize honey yields.
For more information, click HERE.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of, or testing out of, the Apprentice Beekeeping course.