2026 OSU Classes Have Begun!
We had 16 out of 17 students present and 23 mentors. All of the students now have two mentors to work with and in two cases they have three. The class went very smoothly and we finished up about 1:30 PM.
Oregon State University Master Beekeepers Weekend and National Honey Bee Day with Boise State University.
August 8 and 9, 2025
Thank you to Jan Lohman, Dr. Dewey Caron and Dr. Ramesh Sagili for visiting our Treasure Valley Beekeepers Club this past weekend. Your visit and support for our beekeepers in the club help us to grow our skills and provide us with the most current and accurate scientific information in beekeeping. We are grateful that the three of you took time to come to Boise, Idaho from Oregon to not only teach us but also to administer the lab and field portion of the OSU Master Beekeeper Journey level test for three of our club members. A big congratulations goes out to Steve Sweet who officially became the first OSU Master Beekeeper in the Treasure Valley and the entire state of Idaho. He was gifted the "Golden Smoker" by Dr. Dewey Caron(see pics). Also a huge thank you goes out to Jim McMahon and his better half, Mara for hosting the testing apiary for the Journey level exam on Friday, August 8, 2025. The BBQ from Bodacious Pig and homemade potato salad (Mara made that...yum!) and Huckleberry pie (Jim made that...really tasty!) was appreciated and delicious. What would a visit from Jan, Dewey and Ramesh be without the potato cannon and a Sturgeon full moon? Thank you to Kevin and Finn who graciously and joyfully hosted us all for a convening evening of food, fun and tons of laughs. What a club we have. If you weren't able to join us this time...Don't miss out on next year's event. You will be happy you did. Until next OSU's visit. Be well and study up on your bees!!!
Oregon Master Beekeeper Program (OMB) - Boise Satellite
February 15, 2025 - OSU Apprentice Level Class of 2025
The Oregon State Master Beekeeper class for 2025 has risen to nine students. Instructors, Ben Lafon, Jim McMahon, Vic Otto and Karl Bokenkamp all did an excellent job sharing their beekeeping skills and techniques to the 2025 class. Other mentors were present to pitch in where needed to give differing opinions of how they keep bees. Remember, beekeepers have various ways of beekeeping but all have the same goal in mind...keep our bees healthy and productive. The TVBC and OSU want to give a shout out to Jim McMahon for supplying the shop for the OSU 2025 class...WE very much appreciate his generosity and bee loving expertise. And also, a big thank you to Jeff Bergland for keeping the OSU program up and running at full speed every year.
Are you interested in learning how to become a better beekeeper? Have you experienced problems in the past that you'd like to remedy? Do you want to help others learn about bees? The Oregon Master Beekeeper program is for you! Participating beekeepers gain experience at three successive levels: Apprentice, Journey, and Master. Each level provides opportunities and support for additional learning, practice in the field, and community service.
OMB Google Drive: 2019 Apprentice Level Oregon Master Beekeeper Program - Resources
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To learn more, visit: Oregon Master Beekeeper Program