Thinking about getting honey bees next spring?
Before you buy equipment, order bees, or invest hundreds of dollars, spend 90 minutes learning what beekeeping actually requires.
Should I Be a Beekeeper? is designed for people who are curious about beekeeping but have not yet decided whether keeping their own bees is the right choice.
This is not a beginner beekeeping course. We will not try to teach you everything you need to know to manage a colony. Instead, we will help you understand the commitment before you make it.
Class Details
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time: 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Location: Bee Great, 107 McCoy Drive, Churubusco, IN 46723
Individual Registration: $35
Two-Person Registration: $50
Class Size: Limited to 10 participants
What We'll Talk About
During the class, we'll discuss:
- What beekeeping looks like throughout the year
- How much time managing honey bees really takes
- Typical startup costs and ongoing expenses
- Equipment and bees you will need
- Where you can place a hive
- Physical demands and the reality of bee stings
- How beekeeping affects travel and other commitments
- Working around neighbors and family members
- Why colonies sometimes die even when a beekeeper does things correctly
- The difference between keeping your own bees and having Bee Great manage hives for you
- What your next steps should be if you decide beekeeping is right for you
You'll also have time to ask questions about your own situation.
Who Is This Class For?
This class is ideal if you:
- Have been thinking about getting honey bees
- Hope to start beekeeping in spring 2027
- Are unsure about the cost or time commitment
- Want to understand what you are getting into before purchasing equipment
- Have a spouse, partner, or family member who should be part of the decision
- Are simply trying to determine whether beekeeping fits your property and lifestyle
No previous beekeeping experience is needed.
What's Included?
Registration includes the Bee Great Should I Be a Beekeeper? Decision Guide, which you can use after class to continue working through your decision.
Bringing Someone With You
Beekeeping often affects more than one person in a household. If you and another member of your household are considering beekeeping together, choose the Two-Person Household Registration for $50.
If You Decide Yes
Those who decide they want to move forward can continue with Bee Great's Beginner Beekeeping Class in October, designed to prepare new beekeepers to begin keeping bees in spring 2027.
Participants in this class will receive $25 off the October Beginner Beekeeping Class when they register within seven days of completing this class.
One Important Point
The goal of this class is not to convince you to become a beekeeper.
For some people, the right decision will be yes. For others, it may be no—or not yet.
Our goal is to help you make that decision with a realistic understanding of the time, cost, work, and responsibility involved.
