What's the buzz? Exeter ag. adds beekeeping to curriculum
Pictured, Exeter agriculture students Hunter Reed and Halie Nelson open up the first hive to check the condition of the bees and check the frames for honey and brood.
It is important to check on the hives regularly to see how they are producing. While the school does not plan to harvest honey until next year, ag student Jamison Nichols is pictured opening the hive and checking over the frames.
December 11, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
This year, a new program being offered at Exeter School is getting students involved in a new kind of hands-on learning. Through the agriculture department, the district is now in the midst of the first year of a student-operated bee-keeping operation.
Rachael Brown, Exeter Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, was charged with maintaining the program by school administration. According to Brown, school administration approached her about the program due to her experience working with bees in college.
“It all started with a simple conversation with our Superintendent Dr. Raney about my time in a beekeeping college class that lead to us deciding to get honey bee hives for our campus,” explained Brown. “He asked if I wanted to get honey bee hives for the students to use in our agriculture classes and of course I said yes.”
Brown continued, explaining that the program is intended to expand the horizons of agriculture students beyond typical farm life.
“During that conversation, we felt adding honey bee hives would open up new learning experiences for our students and started making long range plans for our program,” she explained. “Ultimately, I hope students learn how to keep honey bees and that they gain knowledge and skills during our time with the hives so that when they leave our agriculture department they are confident enough to start their own hives.”
The school currently has two honey bee hives for this purpose. The hives were built and filled in June of this year and have been maintained ever since. The hives were constructed with the help of several local businesses and private citizens.
“K&B Honeybees in Cassville helped set up our two initial honeybee hives and has continued to help check our hives,” said Brown. “Prepper’s Bee Supply in Garfield, Ark., helped us get some of our basic supplies, Allen Apiaries helped us get our current honey bee suits, and Joplin Area Beekeepers Association (JABA); who donated $250 to help with the cost of startup. Individuals who have helped are Dale Foley with JABA donated educational books for our program, and Bryce Stephens has helped with opening our hives and the educational side of our program.”
According to Brown, students have been out to work with the hives, but before any comprehensive work can be done, the hives need to continue to grow.
“We opted not to collect any honey this fall,” explained Brown. “Based on recent hive inspections, we should be able to collect honey from these hives this coming April and then again about August of next year.”
According to Brown, allowing for this growth will also allow the program to expand itself.
“When spring comes around, we plan to split the two hives we currently have and add two more new hives,” she said. “My goal is to have at least one hive per class, so that we have ample opportunity for students in each of my agriculture classes to be actively involved in beekeeping.”
Brown also explained that reception to the program has been positive. Despite being limited by the weather that is inherent to the fall and winter months of the first semester, she hopes that continued interest will allow the operation to expand.
“Students have been very interested in beekeeping,” explained Brown. “We did a unit in the classroom over the basics of beekeeping, then started taking students out to be hands-on with our bee hives. The students who have been out with the hives, have been asking to go back out. With only two hives and weather changing, we are limited to the number of times we can open the hives. I hope to have all of my classes working with the hives in the spring learning all of the aspects of honey beekeeping.”
Student reactions to the program have also been positive. Two of Brown’s students who have gotten hands-on with the hive spoke on the positive impact that the new program has had on them.
“Here, there aren’t many options. I thought that it would be cool to do this,” said Exeter student Jamison Nichols. “I really hope that it helps me go further with beekeeping.”
“It’s taught me how important that bees are,” said Exeter student Hunter Reed. “I originally joined just because I liked honey.”
With the outlook on the project being overall positive, Brown is eyeing the future of the operation. She communicated that her overall goal was to see students walk away with the knowledge needed to create and sustain their own beehives.
Brown intends to expand the program with this very purpose in mind, with the hopes that added assistance from the school will help students create their own cultures outside of the program.
“Later on in the program, we plan to have the opportunity for students to start their own hives off of a school hive when we are able to do many hive splits in the spring,” Brown concluded. “This would help students cut down the startup cost of their own SAE project and keep our students learning about the importance of honey bees to agriculture.”
Vinnie Roberts
This year, a new program being offered at Exeter School is getting students involved in a new kind of hands-on learning. Through the agriculture department, the district is now in the midst of the first year of a student-operated bee-keeping operation.
Rachael Brown, Exeter Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, was charged with maintaining the program by school administration. According to Brown, school administration approached her about the program due to her experience working with bees in college.
“It all started with a simple conversation with our Superintendent Dr. Raney about my time in a beekeeping college class that lead to us deciding to get honey bee hives for our campus,” explained Brown. “He asked if I wanted to get honey bee hives for the students to use in our agriculture classes and of course I said yes.”
Brown continued, explaining that the program is intended to expand the horizons of agriculture students beyond typical farm life.
“During that conversation, we felt adding honey bee hives would open up new learning experiences for our students and started making long range plans for our program,” she explained. “Ultimately, I hope students learn how to keep honey bees and that they gain knowledge and skills during our time with the hives so that when they leave our agriculture department they are confident enough to start their own hives.”
The school currently has two honey bee hives for this purpose. The hives were built and filled in June of this year and have been maintained ever since. The hives were constructed with the help of several local businesses and private citizens.
“K&B Honeybees in Cassville helped set up our two initial honeybee hives and has continued to help check our hives,” said Brown. “Prepper’s Bee Supply in Garfield, Ark., helped us get some of our basic supplies, Allen Apiaries helped us get our current honey bee suits, and Joplin Area Beekeepers Association (JABA); who donated $250 to help with the cost of startup. Individuals who have helped are Dale Foley with JABA donated educational books for our program, and Bryce Stephens has helped with opening our hives and the educational side of our program.”
According to Brown, students have been out to work with the hives, but before any comprehensive work can be done, the hives need to continue to grow.
“We opted not to collect any honey this fall,” explained Brown. “Based on recent hive inspections, we should be able to collect honey from these hives this coming April and then again about August of next year.”
According to Brown, allowing for this growth will also allow the program to expand itself.
“When spring comes around, we plan to split the two hives we currently have and add two more new hives,” she said. “My goal is to have at least one hive per class, so that we have ample opportunity for students in each of my agriculture classes to be actively involved in beekeeping.”
Brown also explained that reception to the program has been positive. Despite being limited by the weather that is inherent to the fall and winter months of the first semester, she hopes that continued interest will allow the operation to expand.
“Students have been very interested in beekeeping,” explained Brown. “We did a unit in the classroom over the basics of beekeeping, then started taking students out to be hands-on with our bee hives. The students who have been out with the hives, have been asking to go back out. With only two hives and weather changing, we are limited to the number of times we can open the hives. I hope to have all of my classes working with the hives in the spring learning all of the aspects of honey beekeeping.”
Student reactions to the program have also been positive. Two of Brown’s students who have gotten hands-on with the hive spoke on the positive impact that the new program has had on them.
“Here, there aren’t many options. I thought that it would be cool to do this,” said Exeter student Jamison Nichols. “I really hope that it helps me go further with beekeeping.”
“It’s taught me how important that bees are,” said Exeter student Hunter Reed. “I originally joined just because I liked honey.”
With the outlook on the project being overall positive, Brown is eyeing the future of the operation. She communicated that her overall goal was to see students walk away with the knowledge needed to create and sustain their own beehives.
Brown intends to expand the program with this very purpose in mind, with the hopes that added assistance from the school will help students create their own cultures outside of the program.
“Later on in the program, we plan to have the opportunity for students to start their own hives off of a school hive when we are able to do many hive splits in the spring,” Brown concluded. “This would help students cut down the startup cost of their own SAE project and keep our students learning about the importance of honey bees to agriculture.”
