Allerton Park & Retreat Center

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn how to winterize a beehive and how to care for bees in the winter a

Instructor and master beekeeper Maggie Wachter will demonstrate the main steps for preparing hives to withstand winter so bees can emerge strong and healthy in the spring.

$20/person*. Registration will close Nov. 21 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should dress appropriately for beekeeping (loose-fitting long sleeves and pants, no open shoes) and bring a protective bee veil and unscented rubber gloves.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

When Maggie Wachter began her social work degree at the University of Illinois in 2008, she had no idea that she would become a beekeeper. As for honey, she kept a single jar in the back of her kitchen cabinet for recipes. Today she is a master beekeeper who never eats sugar.

Maggie received her first hive as a gift in 2008. By 2010, she was enrolled in the Master Beekeeper course at the University of Florida. From there, things happened quickly to turn her life around. In 2012, she started teaching beekeeping for Parkland Community Education and today she is a beekeeping teacher, honey judge, mead maker and master beekeeper.

She has also participated in honey bee research at the University of Illinois and the USDA.

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, outdoor education, science, storytelling, and wellness. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.