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The West Texas Bee School – Practical Beekeeping for Big Country Conditions

- October 18, 2025 -

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Oct 18, 2025    
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The West Texas Bee School – Practical Beekeeping for Big Country Conditions

October 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Buffalo Gap, Texas
West Texas offers a unique climate for beekeeping. The wind of spring and heat of summer dearth turn overnight into bitter harsh winters. Yet amidst the mesquite, cotton, and prairie wildflowers, bees thrive—and beekeepers learn to meet the landscape on its own terms. That’s the spirit behind the West Texas Bee School, a hands-on training day hosted in Buffalo Gap, just a few miles South of Abilene.  

Co-founded by Tiffany Harelik of Hacienda Harelik Honey and Nikki Felcman of Saint Abigail Honey—the West Texas Bee School brings together working beekeepers, scientists, ag educators, and new hobbyists for a fast-moving program that blends science, field craft, and regional know-how. The event has quickly become a landing pad for West Texans who want practical, step-by-step instruction they can put to work in their own yards and ranches from Abilene to El Paso, and Amarillo to San Angelo.

Presentations include:

  • Wild World of Beekeeping and Bees 101 with TV’s own Charlie Agar
  • Medicinal Honey with Dr. Ferhat Ozturk of the Honey Pathway
  • Fall Hive Inspections and Splits in West Texas, with Michael and Nikki Felcman, Saint Abigail Honey
  • Drone Hunting with Dodie Stillman
  • Honey Production for home, market, and show with Tiffany Harelik, Hacienda Harelik
  • Ask a Master Beekeeper, with Omar Martinez, AgriLife

Learning beekeeping in the Fall helps prepare new beekeepers for their first year in the Spring—but the conference isn’t only for newcomers. While universal beekeeping principles apply everywhere, the Bee School leans into the realities of the Big Country and speaks to all levels of bee enthusiasts.

Equally important is the community ethic: West Texas Bee School welcomes 4-H and FFA families, homesteaders, Master Gardener groups, and ranch hands who’ve “caught the bee bug” after a spring swarm. The result is a learning environment where a brand-new beekeeper can stand shoulder to shoulder with a 20-year producer and compare brood frames under the same sun. Students will take home a seasonal checklist tailored to West Texas conditions, a network of local mentors, and a pathway into ongoing field days and apprenticeship opportunities.

Early registration is $150 and includes lunch. More info at https://westtexasbeekeepers.com/beeschool

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