I believe there's a lot of value in learning beekeeping through a hands-on experience where other students have your same level of interest and experience," said Mark Gingrich, Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS) certified Master Beekeeper.

With that in mind, Gingrich will hold a Beekeeper Training program in conjunction with the Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education.

The program will kick off on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and will meet monthly through Saturday, Oct. 11. All programs will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with the exception of the Oct. 11 session, which will begin at 7:30 a.m. The first three sessions will be held at the Hellam Township Municipal Building, 35 Walnut Springs Road, York, while the rest of the sessions will be held at the Horn Farm, 4945 Horn Road, York.

This is the 10th year Horn Farm has hosted the training, which began after Gingrich asked the farm about keeping bees there due to the diverse and plentiful plant life offered on the property.

"After a year, I was approached about teaching a class on small-scale beekeeping," he recalled. "The program began in 2014 with a single student. It's run successfully every year thereafter with the class size slowly increasing to 15."

Offering the training program is a natural fit for the Horn Farm, said executive director Alexis Campbell.

"Beekeeping is a beneficial practice that boosts local ecosystems by supporting pollination and bee populations. It also offers sweet rewards such as honey, beeswax and pollen, which can fuel a small business or be used for personal consumption," she shared. "As an educational organization focused on teaching regenerative practices that support sustainable living and a healthier ecosystem, we wanted to provide the opportunity for community members to learn the tradition of backyard beekeeping."

As Gingrich explained, the Beekeeper Training program is designed as a two-year program with year one dedicated to new, first-time beekeepers. "We start with the basics, biology, equipment and management," he said. "Students take home a colony at the conclusion of the first season. The second year, they learn management techniques for sustainability and colony growth."

Gingrich is the owner of Gingrich Apiaries in Dover, Pa., and he's been keeping bees for about 25 years.

"We manage around 300 colonies for pollination, honey production and queen rearing," he said. "The operation produces an average of 450 mated queens annually sold across the U.S." He serves as president of the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association and a founding member and co-chair for the Pennsylvania Queen Bee Improvement Project, among other groups. He is also a longtime participant in numerous USDA-funded Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education grants focused on bee genetics. 

"Beekeepers are important because they actively maintain healthy honeybee colonies, which are crucial for pollinating crops and ensuring a stable food supply by transferring pollen between plants, allowing them to produce fruits and seeds," he commented. "Without sufficient bee populations, many crops would struggle to thrive, impacting our food security."

Programs like the Beekeeper Training provide tangible ways for people to positively impact the environment, he said.

"Backyard beekeeping is a fascinating hobby that plays a significant role in supporting healthy honeybee populations," Gingrich remarked. "As people increasingly seek sustainable lifestyles and food sources, beekeeping has grown in popularity. Having a beehive at home not only enhances your garden's vitality, but also boosts plant pollination for maximum productivity."

He encourages anyone with an interest to enroll in the training.

"A hands-on beekeeping class offers participants an interactive and practical introduction to the world of bees and hive management," he said. "This type of class is ideal for beginners and hobbyists looking to gain foundational knowledge and experience under the guidance of an experienced beekeeper."

For more information or to register for the training, visit https://hornfarmcenter.org/beekeeper-training.