The Similkameen Beekeepers Circle presents
Sunday in the Hives
Every second Sunday. Coffee at 9:30, veils on by 10, done by noon. Sixteen free, hands-on hive mornings through the 2027 season — natural beekeeping the 3H way, in a real working yard.
First season is free — bring a friend and a pair of boots. Max 12 people per morning.
1
Show up
Coffee's on at 9:30 AM at the Home Yard in Princeton. Bring boots, a hat and questions — veils and gloves are provided.
2
Open the hives
Two hours in the teaching apiary with a Master Beekeeper. One topic per Sunday, real frames in your hands, treatment-free methods only.
3
Take it home
Every session ends with one thing to try in your own apiary — or the confidence to start one. Done by noon, every time.
Why every second Sunday?
Mark works a 7-on / 7-off shift rotation, so these dates aren't guesses — every single one lands on a scheduled week off. The rhythm also matches the bees: two weeks is roughly one brood cycle, so each visit picks up exactly where the last one left off. You'll watch the same colonies grow, swarm, harvest and bed down across a whole season.
The 2027 season
April – October 2027 · The Home Yard — Princeton, BC (address shared after RSVP)
Sunday, April 4, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Season Opener
First spring inspection — what a treatment-free colony should look like waking up
Hands-on: Reading a frame, finding the queen, spring stores check
Sunday, April 18, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
The 3H Spring Audit
Happy, Healthy, Heavy — scoring your colonies after winter
Hands-on: Colony scorecards, feed decisions, LISTEN walk-through
Sunday, May 2, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Build-Up & Brood
Reading brood pattern and planning for the swarm impulse
Hands-on: Brood frames, queen cups, checkerboarding demo
Sunday, May 16, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Swarm Season I
Why bees swarm and how natural beekeepers work with it
Hands-on: Swarm-prevention splits, bait hive setup
Sunday, May 30, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Swarm Season II
Catching and hiving a swarm — the club's call list kicks off
Hands-on: Swarm trap build, hiving a demo swarm
Sunday, June 13, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Queens the Natural Way
Walk-away splits and letting bees raise their own queens
Hands-on: Making a split, marking frames, queen cell timing
Sunday, June 27, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Honey Supering
When to add supers without breaking the colony's rhythm
Hands-on: Supering, burr comb management, hive tool craft
Sunday, July 11, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Mid-Season Health Check
Varroa monitoring the 3H way — count first, never treat blind
Hands-on: Alcohol wash demo, mite counts, record keeping
Sunday, July 25, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Water, Shade & Dearth
Getting colonies through the hot, dry Similkameen summer
Hands-on: Water stations, ventilation, dearth feeding decisions
Sunday, August 8, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Harvest Day I
Taking honey without robbing the bees of their winter
Hands-on: Pulling supers, crush-and-strain extraction
Sunday, August 22, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Harvest Day II
Bottling, wax rendering and what 'raw' really means
Hands-on: Bottling party — everyone takes a jar home
Sunday, September 5, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Winter Bees
The bees made in September carry the colony to spring
Hands-on: Late-season splits, combining weak colonies
Sunday, September 19, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Feeding & Condensation
Heavy hives survive — feeding, insulation and moisture control
Hands-on: Feeding demos, quilt boxes, entrance reducers
Sunday, October 3, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
The Final Inspection
Last look before winter — what to fix and what to leave alone
Hands-on: Full 3H audit, winter prep checklist
Sunday, October 17, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Tuck-In Day
Wrapping, mouse guards and saying goodnight to the yard
Hands-on: Winterizing every hive in the teaching yard
Sunday, October 31, 2027
9:30 AM – noon
Season Close & Fireside
Year in review — what worked, what the bees taught us
Hands-on: Mead tasting, seed-saving, planning 2028
Save a seat
Free, but capped at 12 people per morning so everyone gets frames in their hands. We'll email the yard address and what to bring.
Can't make a Sunday?
Ask your question in the Beekeeper Circle any time, or book a full-day workshop for the deep dive.