Got a bee in your bonnet?

The Northeast Georgia Mountain Beekeepers Association will hold a hands-on course for individuals who would like to learn the craft of keeping bees.

This one day program Saturday, March 23, will be in two sessions. A morning session beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville will include honeybee biology, basic equipment requirements, colony management, honey production, pollination and the use of other hive products.

The afternoon session will be held at the bee yard of Carl Webb in Clarkesville, where actual hands-on experiences will be provided by some of the club’s experienced beekeepers. Topics will include hive manipulation, spring management, queen rearing, making splits and honey harvesting.

Honeybees contribute more than $15 billion of pollination services to our nation’s agriculture industry. Beekeepers are vital to the agriculture community in providing pollination services as well as producing honey.

Registration is limited and includes one-year membership in the beekeeping club, “First Lessons in Beekeeping” book and lunch. Cost is $35 per person, $15 for each additional family member.

The Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center is located at 120 Paul Franklin Road in Clarkesville. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

For more information or to pre-register, call Carl or Virginia Webb at 706-754-7062.