Beek Meet 2025
The Largest Beekeeping Conference in Central Wisconsin
Saturday, January 25, 2025 | Wisconsin Rapids Campus
Mid-State Technical College and the Central Wisconsin Beekeeping Association (CWBA) are partnering to host Beek Meet 2025, featuring expert speakers and sessions that will help you improve your honey production and beekeeping skills.
Event Details & Registration
Saturday, January 25 | 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Mid-State Technical College | Wisconsin Rapids Campus
500 32nd Street North | Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
Cost
Early Bird Registration (by December 25): $75
Regular Registration: $85
Senior/Veteran Registration: $75
Virtual Registration: $50
Registration is required by January 11.
Conference Agenda
What’s in store for you at the Beek Meet? Take a deep dive into the presentations on the schedule. Attendees will choose one presentation per breakout session.
7:00 – 8:00 AM
Registration
8:00 – 9:15 AM
Keynote Address
Strategies for Transforming a Sideline into a Commercial Honey Operation
Ian Steppler
9:15 – 9:30 AM
Break
9:30 – 10:45 AM
Breakout Session 1
10:45 – 11:00 AM
Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Featured Speaker
The Wonder of Bees
Fred Dunn
12:00 – 1:30 PM
Lunch & Vendors
1:30 – 2:45 PM
Breakout Session 2
2:45 – 3:00 PM
Break
3:00 – 4:00 PM
Panel Discussion
Ian Steppler, Fred Dunn, and The Stream Team
Session Descriptions & Presenter Bios
Keynote Address: Strategies for Transforming a Sideline into a Commercial Honey Operation
Ian will be talking about steps to take growing your operation and avoiding the pitfalls during growth.
- Presenter: Ian Steppler
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Ian Steppler, married to Sandy, father of 5, farms with his family near Miami, Manitoba, Canada. His family farm is a third-generation farm started by Ian’s grandfather and carried forward by his parents. Nearly 10 years ago, Ian’s 3 brothers, and parents restructured the farm into a company and have since expanded into a large grain, cattle, and Beekeeping operation. They crop 4000 acres of land, calve 5-600 head of purebred Charolais cattle, and manage a 1500-1800 hive apiary. Since Ian bought his first 4 hives 25 years ago, he has dedicated his life to farming, a major part of beekeeping. Ian credits the current standing of his apiary to others on whom he has learned over the years to help guide him through many management, logistical, and farming issues. Ian is the Manitoba Beekeepers Association chairperson and has also established a large Beekeeping YouTube channel called ‘The Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog” which has over 90,000 subscribers and 40 million views. Ian is a big believer in paying it forward which motivates him to share his successes and failures with others.
Breakout Session 1 – Option 1: Sideline vs Hobbiest
Brian is a hobbiest beekeeper and Bruce is a sideliner. They talk about the differences in their operations and how they handle their day-to-day operations.
- Presenters: Brian Koper & Bruce Jenne
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Bruce Jenne is a side-liner beekeeper in southeast Alabama. He started with just two colonies in 2013 and typically manages between 100 and 150 colonies while maintaining a full-time job as a physical therapist at a local hospital. His love for bees quickly became an obsession and he decided to begin a YouTube channel, brucesbees, where he has shared his beekeeping experiences with the world. In December of 2022 he joined Greg Burns (Nature’s Image Farm) and Brian Koper (Castle Hives) on a live chat that would quickly be known as The Stream Team Beekeeping Chat; a weekly chat that continues to this day. Through the YouTube channel many relationships have been formed with incredible beekeepers across the globe. Bruce enjoys sharing his journey in hopes that it will help other beekeepers succeed in the industry and reach their goals, whatever they are. He likes to share the good experiences as well as the bad to give a realistic view of beekeeping. His goal is to help others avoid mistakes he has made and motivate them to overcome adversity when it arises. He hopes to become more streamlined and intentional in his practices in order to become a better beekeeper each and every year. He has tried many different beekeeping practices; catching swarms, splits of all kinds, watermelon and almond pollination, and even a few removals; but his primary focus has been honey production. He has also sold some wax and a few nucs over the years.
Brian Koper, Castle Hives, is a small-scale Beekeeper located in northeast Ohio, managing between 7 and 15 colonies. He has been keeping Bees for 8 years now and is currently studying for his Master Beekeeper through the University of Florida. Brian is also part of the Stream Team YouTube Beekeeping chat with Bruce Jenne and Greg Burns.
Breakout Session 1 – Option 2: The Biotechnical Toolbox
Adrian will show how he achieves mite control and specific steps he takes throughout the season to do so.
- Presenter: Adrian Quiney
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Adrian, author of “The Cavity Compromise”, and on YouTube at “Quiney Honey and Bee” is an RN who lives in Hudson, Wisconsin. He overwinters 60-80 colonies. His area of interest is Biotechnical Beekeeping, which is a collective term for methods that exploit the weaknesses of the varroa mite to control it without the use of chemicals. Unless you count a three-week foray into sugar dusting about a decade ago, Adrian has never used chemical mite controls; The conventional wisdom is that Biotechnical Beekeeping cannot keep one’s bees alive. Combining brood breaks, conventional drone brood removal, varroa resistant stock, and the use of five-over-five nuc boxes has enabled Adrian to defy conventional wisdom.
Breakout Session 1 – Option 3: Hive Diseases and Actions to Take
Brooke will discuss the diseases that can occur in a hive and the treatment options that are available. Carla, DVM and VFD certified, will also be available for questions on antibiotic treatments of hives.
- Presenters: Brooke Nikkila-Sommerfeldt & Carla Prahl, DVM
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Brooke Nikkila-Sommerfeldt is the Apiary Program Coordinator and State Apiarist for the State of Wisconsin. In these roles, she performs colony inspections, collects bee samples for diagnostic testing, promotes the Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Plan and Beekeeping Best Management Practices, and provides education and outreach to groups throughout the state. Brooke first discovered her interest in bees while doing research at the University of Wisconsin-Stout where she completed her undergraduate degree in Applied Science with a concentration in Biotechnology and spent nine years working at the University of Minnesota Bee Lab/Squad.
Carla Prahl, DVM is a graduate of Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a mixed animal practitioner with a focus on production animal medicine and surgery. Her practice is located in Athens, Wisconsin. Her interest in honeybees and beekeeping came about after the FDA instituted the Veterinary Feed Directive in 2017. She now has a small apiary and has incorporated honeybee medicine into her practice offerings.
Breakout Session 1 – Option 4: Apitherapy
Dr. Gerry Brierley opens up the natural pharmacy of alchemy in the hive, revealing the diversity of hive produce for general health and healing. Dr. Gerry will uncover the ancient history of honey bee healing, along with the curative properties of bee venom; propolis; apilarnil; pollen; bee bread; royal Jelly and honey, plus current scientific studies and the cutting-edge fusion of ancient honey bee medicine with modern day research. Dr. Gerry will take you on a journey in time, exploring how honey bee products were used by our ancient ancestors, through to current day scientific and medical breakthroughs in the use of the honey bee’s curative properties. Since speaking to many thousands of people worldwide, slowly but surely the secrets of our ancient ancestors honey bee medicine are being revealed, and the alchemy of the honey bee will once again be revered. Join Dr. Gerry on a magical journey into the healing hive.
- Presenter: Dr. Gerry Brierly
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Dr. Gerry Brierley is a British beekeeper, author of “The Secrets of Hope the Honeybee” and an ‘Accidental Apitherapist’ who will share her personal story of how she overcame near fatal tick-borne infections including Lyme disease by using bee venom therapy. Dr. Gerry is currently pursuing a further post graduate law degree with an interest in clinical negligence and the protection of the honey bee. Gerry also has an active interest in crypto investing and competitive sculling. Her past escapades include recreational flying as a qualified pilot, a multi award winning British inventor and published academic in business and behavioral science, an award-winning children’s author all while following the path of Druidry where the bee, observance of law, and truth is at the heart of the Druid way of life.
Featured Speaker: Honey Bees, A Closer Look
Along with his great storytelling, Fred takes us on a journey with his bees through spectacular photography, and slow motion videos.
- Presenter: Fred Dunn
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Fred is a honeybee educator, focusing on backyard small-scale beekeeping. He shares about the intricacies of bee biology and management primarily through his YouTube Channel (Frederick Dunn) and podcast, The Way To Bee. He manages more than 40 colonies of honeybees on his rural Pennsylvania property and has been obsessed with bees and their secrets since 2006. As a Cornell University Master Beekeeper, Fred uses scientific methods to improve management practices and evaluate tools and hive configurations across a broad spectrum. Photos and video sequences are at the core of his presentations.
Breakout Session 2 – Option 1: Building a Bee Business
Greg and Suzy will talk about raising a family and building a homestead with beekeeping at its center.
- Presenters: Greg & Susan Burns
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Greg & Susan Burns are the buzzing force behind Nature's Image Farm, Endurahive Wax Dipped & The Learning Yard, where alongside their seven children have embarked on an exciting journey into beekeeping. Transitioning from the hustle and bustle of city life, the Burns family found their calling in beekeeping, turning their family's passion into a thriving business. They now provide top-notch honeybees, beekeeping supplies, along with nurturing aspiring beekeepers through mentoring and education across the county. To learn more, visit www.naturesimagefarm.com, the Nature’s Image Farm YouTube channel, The Stream Team Beekeeping Chat, and The Nature’s Image Farm Podcast.
Breakout Session 2 – Option 2: Beginning Beekeeping
We will be speaking about the first steps in beekeeping, equipment that you need as opposed to what you don’t, and what you should be looking for in your first year.
- Presenters: Mike & Laurie Lawrence
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Every year is a learning experience in beekeeping. As master beekeepers, Mike and Laurie have grown from 25 hives coming out of winter of 2024 to 80 hives in the fall without buying any bees. Mike is the President and Laurie is the Vice-President of the Central Wisconsin Beekeepers Association. They are involved in a great deal of teaching from elementary schools through colleges. In addition, they have a YouTube channel with several educational beekeeping videos @hamburghoney. The biggest challenge with educating people about bees is that we need to change their mindset about bees. "Not all insects that fly and have stingers are honeybees. Much of the education is differentiating honeybees from wasps, hornets and other bees."
Breakout Session 2 – Option 3: Queen Rearing at the University of Minnesota Bee Lab
Nelson will talk about the steps taken under Marla Spivak to create their breeding queens and the work that the lab is continuing.
- Presenters: Nelson Williams, University of Minnesota Bee Lab
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Nelson Williams serves as the Apiary Manager and Primary Building Contact supporting the work and research of the University of Minnesota Bee Lab. His professional career in honey bee management and research began in 2017 at Purina Farms Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Missouri, developing a protein supplement for honey bees. In 2019, he joined the Bee Informed Partnership as a Honey Bee Health Field Specialist supporting the health of commercial beekeeping operations based in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. In 2022, his role within the Bee Lab expanded to spearheading the management of the queen breeding program, research colonies, and beekeeping equipment.
Breakout Session 2 – Option 4: How to Inspect a Hive in 12 minutes
David will take us through the important things you should be looking for while inspecting your hive and how to accomplish this in 12 minutes!
- Presenter: David Burns
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David started beekeeping in the early 1990s and started a beekeeping business several years later. In 2006 David began blogging and uploading beekeeping videos to YouTube. His YouTube channel has grown to around 152,000 subscribers. He also produces a weekly beekeeping podcast. In 2020 David & Sheri were approached by Rockridge press to write the book “Backyard Beekeeping: Everything You Need to Know to Start Your First Hive.” He has produced a suite of online beekeeping courses that have become very popular among new beekeepers. David produces queens, nucs, and packages. In order to make sure beekeepers had the best and latest scientific information on bees and beekeeping, David became a Certified Master Beekeeper through the Eastern Apicultural Society (2010). He also writes a weekly column for Bee Culture Magazine. David teaches beekeeping workshops all year at their Training Center in Fairmount, Illinois. He also has a mentorship program known as Beeteam6, talks throughout the country at beekeeping conferences and is heard frequently on radio shows and podcasts.
