Volunteer Dave Seal helps a 4th grader sling honey using the honey extractor.
4-H Agent Sherri Kraeft helps 4th graders understand what honey bees look like in an observation hive while teaching about bee behavior
By -Sherri Kraeft, Wakulla County
Honey bees and kids are a natural fascinating fit in 4-H. Since 4-H began, traditional livestock projects have always been the staple of many county programs, however, in recent years, beekeeping has become gained popularity nationally and the number of hobbyist or niche pollinator beekeepers has increased significantly. In order to capitalize on both the inherent fascination that kids have with bees and their popularity as a backyard hobby and non-traditional 4-H project, I have been in the process of designing a beekeeping project framework and volunteer training guide.
In order to begin the process to learn about bees myself, I visited a local beekeeper named Dave Seal who was extremely helpful and has since become a mentor and good friend. He shared with me the basics about honey bees (Apis mellifera) and I began collecting resources from books, the internet, the Florida Department of Agriculture, The University of Florida Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory as well as joining the closest local bee club.
As I became fascinated and increasingly intrigued, I thought that I wanted to share what I was learning with the 4-H Ag in the Classroom Clubs and volunteers that I have worked with in years past and I wrote the first grant to fund beekeeping equipment and teaching materials. As an Agent who is interested in working with volunteers and youth along with bees, my first job was to find funding to buy some basic equipment. With this grant, I learned that volunteers can purchase the basics to get started teaching about bees such as the tools and an observation hive. The next step was to connect with local beekeepers and groups to see what they were willing to come and teach about and give them opportunities to share their hobby with kids. Lastly, encouraging youth to become involved in local beekeeping events, honey shows and essay competitions are all ways to help them complete their beekeeping 4-H Beekeeping Project.
As it stands now, the 4-H Beekeeping curriculum for the State of Florida needs some major revision and I am in the process of completing the University of Florida Master Beekeeper certification which will include a new and revised project book for youth and volunteer training manual and videos as my Master Craftsman Beekeeper project.
As a volunteer, you aren’t expected to know everything, so in order to get started in a 4-H Beekeeping Project, here are some resources:
Florida Ag in the Classroom Grants Programs
http://flagintheclassroom.com/
University of Florida Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory
http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/honeybee/index.shtml
What’s The Buzz on Bees Lesson Plans
Click to access Bissy%20Bee%20Lesson%20Plan_web.pdf
Master Beekeeper Program Information
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/honeybee/extension/bee_college_difference.shtml
Africanized Bee Information
Click to access AHBactivitysheet.pdf
Purdue Beekeeping Curriculum
http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/natural_resources/Projects/beekeeping/index.htm
Contact 4-H Agent Sherri Kraeft at (850) 926-3931 or sjkraeft@ufl.edu for questions or more information on 4-H Beekeeping.
Florida Journal of Youth Development 