Veteran’s beekeeping workshop set for Sept. 29-30

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University’s Indiana Beginning Farmer program is sponsoring a two-day workshop for veterans who want to learn about beekeeping.

The event will be held Sept. 29-30 in Wheatfield, Indiana.

Military veterans who work with honey bees have found this hobby or niche business venture therapeutic and stress-reducing.

“Our goal for this workshop is to provide veterans with an interest in farming or agriculture the basic knowledge to start a beehive at home and to possibly begin a commercial beekeeping operation,” said Cindy Chastain, veteran outreach coordinator for the National AgrAbility Project. “We hope to provide them with inspiration as well as mentors and organizations that can help them down the road. Agriculture is a viable option for veterans, disabled or not, to make a healthy and productive return to civilian life.”

Designed to enable participants to start and manage a beehive on their own property, participants will go home with an 8-frame beehive.

The workshop will be hands-on, and attendees are required to bring protective equipment. A veil, suit, gloves and boots or sturdy shoes are recommended.

Each veteran can bring one family member, but they must be registered.

Food and lodging will be provided.

Chastain recommends early registration because space is limited. Those who register after the cut-off date will be placed on a wait list in case cancelations occur.

Purdue is committed to making all programs accessible to participants with disabilities. If you have program-related concerns, please contact Katherine Prasuhn at 317-989-9839 or 765-494-7912.

To register go to http://bit.ly/2puUV4I and look for the register tabs in the upper or lower right of the webpage.

Writer: Cheri Frederick, 765-494-8415, cfrederick@purdue.edu

Source: Cindy Chastain, 765-496-2377, chastail@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Shari Finnell, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, sfinnell@purdue.edu  
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