Join us at the Bee Yard for hands-on Beekeeping Workshops in 2026

Connecticut Beekeeper's Association offers beekeeping workshops from March through September in 2026 at our Boulder Knoll Bee Yard in Cheshire, Connecticut. Our workshops focus on best management practices for keeping healthy and productive colonies throughout the seasons. We offer learning experiences for Langstroth and top-bar hive beekeepers. Please register below to participate in these hands-on workshops, and learn how to care for your bees throughout the year...

Boulder Knoll Bee Yard

875 Boulder Rd, Cheshire, CT 06410

Our bee yard is easily accessible, with ample parking. Situated on the top of a rise in the landscape, the new yard offers both bees and participants plenty of open space and full sun. The area's floral sources are abundant and bloom from early spring until late fall. Join us at CBA’s Boulder Knoll Bee Yard for a hands-on beekeeping experience!

Safety & Attire

All participants at our bee yard activities or any other CBA-sponsored event involving live bees must bring their own personal protective equipment designed specifically for beekeeping. Participants are responsible for ensuring they have complete coverage of bare skin with light-colored clothing (nothing black) and must wear a proper bee veil or bee suit and closed-toed shoes at all times. Bees sting and inject venom, so if you are concerned about your reaction, please consult a physician before attending.

Weather & Rescheduling

Just in case it rains or there is inclement weather on the day of a workshop, we may reschedule any workshop to another day. If this happens, we will notify all registered attendees - make sure you register to receive event updates!

Register to attend 2026 CBA Bee Yard Workshops using the links below:

March 2026 - Spring Hive Inspection & Brood Evaluation

In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll check and clean our hives, rotate comb, and - schedule permitting - install a package of bees.

April 2026 - Varroa Management, Swarm Signs, and Top Bar Hive Inspection

In this beekeeping workshop, we'll be checking hives for reproductive swarms, and varroa. We'll also demonstrate top bar hive and Langstroth hives.

May 2026 - Supering, Nucleus Hives, and Swarm Management Workshop

This beekeeping workshop will focus on supering Langstroth hives for honey production, using nucleus hives, and swarm Management.

June 2026 - Early Summer Hive Inspection

This inspection will look for Small Hive Beetles and evaluated the queen & hive populations. We’ll do an alcohol wash for varroa and check honey stores.

July 2026 - Single Brood Box Inspection & Varroa Treatment

In this beekeeping workshop we’ll do a varroa count, discuss treatment options, and perform a single brood box inspection.

August 2026 - Late Summer Inspection and Fall Preparation

In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll evaluate a colony’s stores, observe what’s occurring with brood rearing, and check for varroa.

September 2026 - Varroa Counts and Honey Stores Evaluation

In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll consider colony size, determine if the honey stores are sufficient, and, if not, how to feed to increase stores.

October 2026 - Winterization Workshop

In this beekeeping workshop, we’ll focus on overwintering colonies in an insulated hive body.

Beekeeping Workshops led by Bill Hesbach

Bill Hesbach is a Connecticut native with a background in engineering. He's an Eastern Apicultural Society Certified Master Beekeeper and graduate of the University of Montana's Master Beekeeping Program. He's on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Apicultural Society, and is President of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association. Bill teaches bee biology and beekeeping methods at events hosted by regional organizations, and appears as a guest speaker at national seminars. His articles appear in Bee Culture, Bee Craft, and The American Bee Journal.