COBKA 2026 Beginners' Beekeeping Course

This course is intended to provide practical information and proven strategies to help new beekeepers successfully navigate their first year of beekeeping using Langstroth hives. Taught by COBKA volunteers with Oregon Master Beekeeper Program experience, it’s designed specifically for Central Oregon’s high desert, where weather, forage, and seasonal timing all play their parts.

Topics to be covered:

• Woodenware  
• Setup/Location
• Acquiring and installing new bees. 
  
• Tools & Protection
• Colony Inspection
• Varroa 
• Bee Biology

The course is in-person only. 

The Embark Coworking Community: 

2843 NW Lolo Dr. Bend, OR 97703 

Questions: email Clyde - All questions welcomed. 

If course attendees are looking for bees for 2026, the best time to order bees is January and early February, for delivery around May. Area Suppliers

Your first task - Get your feet wet and keep abreast of the 'Monthly Central Oregon Apiary Notes' archives (COBKA homepage). Very informative for beekeepers in our area. 

Recommended textbooks (not required):

- The Beekeepers Handbook (Fifth edition), Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile

- Story's Guide to Keeping Honey Bees, Malcom Sanford and Richard Bonney

- Beekeeping for Dummies, Howland Blackiston

- First Lessons for Beekeeping, Keiths Delaplane

As more research is done, information distilled, techniques perfected the texts change. We would recommend getting the most recent revision of any textbooks you'd like to use.

Course Registration Policy

By registering for the 2026 Central Oregon Beekeeping Association (COBKA) Beginning Beekeeper Course, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

Personal Responsibility

You accept full responsibility for your own safety and well-being throughout your participation in the course.

Release of Liability

You agree to release and hold harmless COBKA, along with its instructors, volunteers, and affiliates, from any liability for injuries, illness, or other issues arising from your participation - except where such liability cannot be waived under applicable law.

Health and Illness

In consideration of the health and safety of all attendees, please do not attend if you are experiencing symptoms of illness, or if someone in your household or recent close contact group is currently ill.