JOIN US IN BEE SCHOOL – Hosted by Carroll Academy, Tamworth, NH
WINTER 2026 ON ZOOM! A history & science course supporting New Hampshire’s farm and forest apiary resources. Keeping bees is not required but mentoring is included for those who decide to.

Our club bee school is tailored to New Hampshire’s short nectar season and long winters. We offer a 30 lesson, 15 week course through Carroll County Adult Education taught by Master Beekeeper: Athena Contus keeping bees 18 years in the Sandwich Mountain Range.

Please do not invest in equipment or hives without first getting some training. Many hives are not designed for New Hampshire’s cold hardiness zones or recommended overwintering management practices. Honey bees should be purchased whenever possible from suppliers of locally acclimated bees. Wait for course recommendations to purchase if unsure.

Cost: $175 or $250 couple
Add $12 for shipping if you can’t pick up books.

Check payable to: Carroll Academy send to:

Carroll County Adult Education
680 White Mountain Hwy Unit 10
Tamworth, NH 03886

or pay online through Athena’s Bees at this link.

Register at this Link…

PROGRAM – Note: Zoom recordings of lessons will not be of the live class but a narrated PowerPoint. To get the most out of the course. students should attend live sessions. Recorded Zoom lessons are monitored for attendance.

	Books Included: – A Field Guide to Honey Bees and Their Maladies – Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping (Supplied by CCAE – Please note: if you already have the books we cannot compensate you on the fee)

HISTORY – How we got here…
Jan 13 – Ancient Beekeeping
Jan 15 – Early American Beekeeping
Jan 20 – Bee Pollination Changes Farming
Jan 22 – Commercial Beekeeping in the U.S.

BIOLOGY & BEHAVIORS – Fascinating facts…
Jan 27 – Honey Bees – Vocabulary
Jan 29 – Honey bee Queens & Drones
Feb 3 – The Humble Worker Bee – Biology

COMMUNICATION
Feb 5 – Primer & Releaser Pheromones
Feb 10 – Duties bind a family of bees – Behaviors
Feb 12 – Natural Defences of the Honey Bee

DISEASES & PREDATORS
Feb 17 – Hive Pests & Predators
Feb 19 – Brood Diseases: Nurseries in Peril

Winter Recess February 24 – 28, 2026

Mar 3 – Hive Inspections & Tools of the Trade

Mar 4 – WEDNESDAY NIGHT – 6:30 – 8pm
SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT WITH ERIN EVANS OF OVERLAND HONEY

Mar 5 – IPM for Honey Bees

EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR NH
Mar 10 – Beehive Styles
Mar 12 – Building a Beehive
Mar 17 – Honey Bee Nutrition
Mar 19 – Getting Bees – Installing Bees
Mar 24 – Choosing a Location & Fencing

EQUIPMENT & WINTER MANAGEMENT
Mar 26 – Honey Bees & Native Pollinators
Mar 31 – Winter in the Hive

FIRST IN PERSON CLUB MEETING APRIL 1st
Meet our State Apiary Inspector, Dave Priebe for a special presentation on Responsible Beekeeping and Honey Bee Health

Apr 2 – Winter Hive Setup – Frame choices

APIARY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Apr 7 – The Beekeeper’s Calendar
Apr 9 – Seasonal Duties – Spring

Apr 14 – Seasonal Duties – Fall
Apr 16 – Putting It All Together
Apr 21 – Natural Beekeeping Methods & History

Products of the Hive
Apr 23 – Honey Harvesting
Apr 28 – Beeswax & Propolis – Uses & Harvesting

Bee Clubs & Organizations
Apr 30 – Who’s Who in New Hampshire Beekeeping – LAST DAY Q & A – Live Zoom Event