Beekeeping training offered to Veterans
University of Missouri Extension is taking applications from veterans for the third year of the Missouri Heroes to Hives program.
The free program trains veterans in beekeeping while also addressing their mental and physical wellness, said MU Extension agronomist Travis Harper.
“Research has shown that the act of keeping bees can be very therapeutic, much like gardening and other outdoor activities,” Harper said. “We also incorporate Q.P.R. suicide prevention training, stress relief and tai chi into the Heroes to Hives curriculum.”
The program, which runs from March to December, consists of three parts: online training modules from Michigan Food and Farming Systems that veterans work through at their own pace, monthly Zoom webinars on topics specific to Missouri beekeeping and hands-on training at an MU teaching apiary in Warrensburg, Mount Vernon or Poplar Bluff.
Heroes to Hives is also available for those needing adaptations for disabilities, he said. “Beekeeping is very physically demanding, and we want to make sure all veterans who want to keep bees are able to keep bees.”
The program is free to all veterans — active-duty, reserve, National Guard, etc. — and their spouses or dependents. Sign up for this season by Feb. 28 at www.heroestohives.com.
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