Dustin Bajer

Designing With Nature. These are my projects.

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Online Beekeeping Community of Practice

November 17, 2020 by Dustin Bajer

A Beekeeping Community for Beekeeping Students

The most rewarding and challenging part about beekeeping is that the learning never ends. I’ve been tending bees for a decade now, and I’m always discovering something new and surprising about these lovely little creatures – and always learning from other beekeepers!

That’s why I’m excited to be setting up a Beekeeping Community of Practice alongside my regular online beekeeping courses so that participants can share their experiences, ask questions, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from each other.

Online Beekeeping Community of Practice using Trello

A Home for Beekeeping Course Content

It’s not that online beekeeping communities and forums don’t exist – they absolutely do – a few of my favourites include the Edmonton Urban Beekeepers and Royal Alberta Urban Beekeeping Collective  Facebook Groups and the forums over at Beesource Beekeeping. And I encourage you to join them!

And still, I’ve taught hundreds of new beekeepers and hardly a week goes by that I don’t field multiple beekeeping questions from my inbox. And while I’m always happy to respond, a few things occurred to me:

  1. It’s not uncommon to get repeat questions.
  2. Being new to beekeeping can be intimidating.
  3. I want to create a safe space where my past students can ask questions and brush up on their knowledge.
  4. Learning alongside other beekeepers is a powerful tool.

After teaching beekeeping courses online, I realized that it would be helpful to take the course content and break it into a bite-sized, searchable resource for existing and past students. So, instead of experiencing the content once, students will be able to go back, ask questions, and review videos and resources to improve their beekeeping knowledge. This is why I’m excited to announce that all of my new beekeeping students will have access to the course community for the entire beekeeping season.

From now on, I will add videos and resources to the Beekeeping Community board for ongoing student access. The Community of Practice will grow stronger and become a more useful tool as resources, questions, and answers are added after each beekeeping class.

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Education, Urban Agriculture

Teaching Online Beekeeping Certificate Courses

November 17, 2020 by Dustin Bajer

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Projects Tagged With: Beekeeping, Food, Urban Agriculture

Northlands Youth Beekeeping Club

December 12, 2017 by Dustin Bajer

Now Taking Registrations for 2018

The Prince’s Charities’ Northlands Youth Bee Club

From Spring until Fall, students from across the City gather at the Southernmost edge of Northlands to learn about and keep honeybees. Sponsored by the Prince’s Charities, the club has eight beehives on site and enough protective gear to keep stings to a minimum. Each week – weather permitted – we cover important beekeeping topics and perform our routine hive inspections.

The following is an account written by Jacob Tombs – one of our Youth Beekeepers.

Hi, my name is Jacob Tombs, I’m 14 years old and this year was my first year beekeeping. When I started bee club in May, I had no idea how to keep bees and now I feel confident that I could maintain some hives all by myself.  What I must thank for this is the Northlands Bee Club. The Northlands Bee Club is a group of young beekeepers that meets every Thursday from early May to early November (roughly one beekeeping season). Some people are completely new to the club (like me) and for others it was their second year, as Bee Club was only founded in 2016. Under the guidance of Dustin Bajer, we learned the basics of how to keep bees and some other interesting information on bees.

Northlands beekeeping club members removing the frames and inspection two hives.

Northlands beekeeping club members removing the frames and inspection two hives.

There are several reasons why bee club was very fun, useful and interesting. First, it is completely unique. As far as I know, there is no other group in the city of Edmonton that teaches young people how to keep bees. One of the things I really enjoyed, was how over the summer the bees built up. The hives started out small, only one or two boxes, and then by the fall some hives were up to six boxes high. I found it very satisfying to see the bees grow in number and in strength. Another thing that was awesome was the taste of the honey. Most of the honey you buy in the grocery store has a bland plain taste but, our honey had a lighter more interesting taste that comes from all the different species of flower in people’s gardens and in the river valley.

Northlands Youth Beekeeping Club members learn about making nucs from the Alberta Nuc Expert.

Northlands Youth Beekeeping Club members learn about making nucs.

Another one of my favorite things about bee club was the field trips, we went on three throughout the time that bee club met. The first one was a trip to Beary Berry honey to see what a commercial beekeeping operation was like and to Alberta Nukes which makes nukes (mini hives that you get in the spring to create new hives) to learn about nuc hives.

Our second field trip was a walking tour of some of the hives in the downtown Edmonton area, we visited a hives at the Edmonton Event Centre and the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald and a protected tree because, Dustin happens to also be studying protected trees in Edmonton.

Beekeeper Patty Milligan leads a walking tour of some downtown Edmonton beehives at the Shaw Conference Centre and the Hotel Macdonald.

Beekeeper Patty Milligan leads a walking tour of some downtown Edmonton beehives at the Shaw Conference Centre and the Hotel Macdonald.

 

The last field trip, which was my favorite, was a trip to one of the NAIT labs where we studied bees under a microscope and dissected them.

Two Bee Club members dissect a honeybees under a microscope at the NAIT Biological Science Technology Lab.

Two Bee Club members dissect a honeybees under a microscope at the NAIT Biological Science Technology Lab.

 

Finally, I met a lot of new people that had the same interests as me and I learned a lot of things that had absolutely nothing to do with beekeeping but, that were interesting all the same. For example, did you know that carrots flower on the second year after they are planted?

In conclusion, bee club is interesting, fun and useful if you ever want to keep bees and the club is (amazingly!) completely free!

For more information about the Northlands Youth, Beekeeping Club, visit Northlands.com.

Click Here To Register For The 2018 Beekeeping Season

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Edmonton, Education, Urban Agriculture

Report A Honeybee Swarm or Colony

April 4, 2017 by Dustin Bajer

Do Suspect That You Have a Swarm or Colony of Honeybees?

If you have a swarm of honeybees, text (780) two-three five – zero-two-two three. If you are unsure that they’re honeybees, please take the quick quiz below.

Honeybee Swarming

Swarming is a natural honeybee behaviour and occurs when a colony splits itself in two. When a healthy hive gathers enough resources, the queen and two-thirds of her workers will leave in search of a new home. The remaining bees will raise a new queen and continue at the original site. Swarming is how one honeybee colony creates another.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Edmonton

13 Steps to Start Beekeeping in Edmonton

January 2, 2017 by Dustin Bajer

A Step-By-Step Guide To Beekeeping In Edmonton

If you’re thinking about keeping honeybees you’ve probably come across the City of Edmonton’s Urban Beekeeping Page. If so, you’ve read about four steps, city guidelines, swarm plans, PID numbers, and provincial agriculturalists. And if you’re like me, you’re probably a little confused, overwhelmed, and still unclear about what to do. Do not worry. For clarity, I’ve deconstructed and reassembled the Edmonton Beekeeping application process into a dozen baby-steps. By completing the following checklist, you’ll have everything you need to start beekeeping in Edmonton. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Edmonton, How To, List, Urban Agriculture

11 Beekeeping Tips Every Beginner Should Know

December 17, 2016 by Dustin Bajer

Storing water in healthy soil has the potential to mitigate climate.

Backyard Beehive in Edmonton, Alberta

Beekeeping Tips I Wish I Had When I Started Keeping Bees

When it comes to keeping honeybees, there’s a lot of contradictory advice. There’s an old saying that if you ask 100 beekeepers a question, you’ll get 101 answers. A longtime beekeeper even told me that honeybees could not survive off of honey – so I’m not sure why they’re making so much of the stuff. So how do you cut through the noise to find the beekeeping tips and tricks that will work best for you? Careful research and some trial and error. Here are 11 beekeeping tips I’d give anyone interested in keeping bees: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, How To, List

People Keep Asking Me About Flow Hives. Here’s My Take

November 14, 2016 by Dustin Bajer

I Review The Flow Hive

If you’re thinking about beekeeping for the first time, there’s a good chance that the Flow Hive has inspired you. But does it work? Is it worth the price?  Does it make keeping bees easier? Here’s my take.

The Flow Hive Is Not A New Hive Design

The first thing to understand about the Flow Hive is that it’s not  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Urban Agriculture

Warre Langstroth Hybrid Hives Built in Edmonton Alberta

December 29, 2015 by Dustin Bajer 2 Comments

Alberta Beekeeping Supplies, Designed For Bees

Modified Warre, 8 Frame Beehives Handcrafted, solid pine beehives built and sold in Edmonton. Specializing in cold-hardy hive designs and dimensions for the conscientious hobby beekeeper.

Google Sketchup breakdown of a modified warre hive, 8 frame hive, top bar hive design.

Hive breakdown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 frame medium langstroth hive boxes for a modified ware hive. Edmonton, Alberta.

8 frame medium hive boxes are versatile, easy to lift, and ideal for Northern climate beekeeping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8-Frame, Medium Hives Supers (aka. Illinois Hives) 8 frame medium hive boxes are [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Edmonton, Product, Urban Agriculture

Order A Handmade 8 Frame Medium Beehive for 2020

August 10, 2015 by Dustin Bajer 6 Comments

Order a Beecentric Hive. 8 frame Warre Hive, Langstroth Hive hybrid.

Order a Beecentric Hive for the 2020 Beekeeping Season

Reserve a hive by paying in full or placing a $50 deposit. Hive orders should be made before March 1st for early April pick up in Edmonton, Alberta. If you require shipping, request a shipping quote. Shipped hive boxes are unassembled to minimize the cost of shipping.

Each Beecentric Hive consists of one screened IPM bottom-board, three 8-frame medium boxes, one warre style quilt-box and roof, and two entrances with entrance reducers. Boxes fit standard medium langstroth frames (available for purchase).


Place a Beecentric Hive Order

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Extra Boxes (8 Frame Medium)

[cc_product sku=”beekeeping-box” display=”vertical” quantity=”true” price=”true”]

Foundationless Frames (Unassembled set of 8)

[cc_product sku=”beekeeping-frames-unassembled” display=”vertical” quantity=”true” price=”true”]

Foundationless Frames (Assembled set of 8)

[cc_product sku=”beekeeping-frames-assembled” display=”vertical” quantity=”true” price=”true”]

Deep Frame Adapters (Converts a medium box into a deep box)

Useful for accepting deep frames from a nucleus ‘nuc’ colony.

[cc_product sku=”beekeeping-deep-adapter” display=”vertical” quantity=”true” price=”true”]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Projects Tagged With: Beekeeping, Product, Urban Agriculture

The Hive Next Door: What To Do When Honeybees Move In

June 25, 2015 by Dustin Bajer 2 Comments

So your neighbours have a honeybees. Now what? Should you be worried? Will you get stung? Can expect more fruit on my trees? FAQs about the hive next door:

Dustin Bajer, Backyard Beehives Edmonton Alberta

Dustin Bajer stands in front of two backyard beehives. Edmonton, Alberta
Photo by Kevin Tuong for Metro Edmonton

Are honeybees legal in the city?

 Yes, honeybees are legal in Edmonton, though, they do need to be registered with the City and the Province. Here’s a link to the City of Edmonton’s Urban Beekeeping guidelines. Not from Edmonton? Try googling your city or town. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dustin Bajer's Articles Tagged With: Beekeeping, Edmonton

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Dustin Bajer

Teacher, permaculture designer, master gardener, hobby beekeeper, consultant, and network nerd living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Read More

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