Beginning beekeeping school 2026 (In-person)

**Note, we are not sold out!  Please click on the links below to be taken to Southall's website for to sign up!  You will not be purchasing tickets from Williams Honey Farm**

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Start here for the down and dirty details!

Big News!!!   Our beginner beekeeping school has found a new home and gotten a new facelift!  We now will be offering our school throughout the year in a series of 1-day seasonal beekeeping classes at Southall Farm & Inn in Franklin, TN!

Seriously, this is big.  ;) Keep on reading for more details...

What: Williams Honey Farm has partnered with Southall, a luxury resort located just outside of Leiper's Fork TN.  Beginning in March, our school will be broken into (4) à la carte one-day classes that will cover what we're doing in our beehives, why we're performing certain actions, and how we're preparing for the coming months ahead in the season. 

When: Level 1 will be offered (either day) March 28th or 29th, 2026 from 8AM-5PM. (Level 2-4 dates to be released soon)

Why: Most beekeeping schools out there are 1/2 day where students are overwhelmed with multiple opinions and overwhelming information.  After the school wraps up, they are then sent out into the world with no support or follow up and typically fail within 18 months. The goal for our school is to be the exact opposite! We create the highest quality, most in-depth, hands-on, teaching experience based on over 18 years of beekeeping in Middle Tennessee. If you like our style and teaching, come back and follow along with our progress as the season transpires!

Where: Southall Farm and Inn is located at 2200 Osage Loop Rd, Franklin, TN 37064.  Enter the main entrance of Southall (located off of Carter’s Creek Pike) and proceed to the greeter’s cabin.  From there you will valet park your vehicle and meet a pollination team member in the lobby of our Inn.  Your bee school will be taking place on-site inside of Dottie’s Speakeasy which is about a 3 min walk from the Inn.

To do list:

1. Click on this link to be redirected to Southall’s Activities page to buy your ticket (make sure you provide a good cell phone number for us to text you alerts about school).  You will not be buying your tickets from Williams Honey Farm!
2. After you enroll in school, if you are interested in spending the night at Southall and making a weekend out of it, give the Southall reservations team a call at 615-996-8221 and reserve your room at a special bee school discounted rate!
3. Decide if you need woodenware (beehives) and place an order here with our vendor so that you can pick it up at bee school!  **We recommend buying an all-medium standard hive kit and an all medium deluxe kit (buy 2 kits total).
4. Pre-purchase nucleus colonies of bees via our recommended provider to inhabit your beehives (bees typically arrive in May).  Click Here.  Hurry, supplies are limited!
5. Read some of the beekeeping books from our reading list and get ready to learn!

Or if you'd like a more detailed description of the whole process read on... On March 28 OR March 29th, 2026, Williams Honey Farm will  begin a year-long collaboration with the Southall Pollination Program to host a series of 1-day beekeeping schools.  Our school will vary from Level 1 through Level 4 to match the season as it progresses.  You can expect the beginning of the season’s lessons to cover beginner basics, equipment and then gradually move to honey extraction and more advanced techniques at the end of the year.  Each day of instruction is a stand-alone offering so you can pick and choose which topics you need for further instruction.

This year we will also be offering a special live Honey extraction & Tequila pairing experience in the evening of the beginner (Level 1) school!  Click on this link to purchase separate tickets to this event and make sure to confirm your date of school before purchasing.  Students and their partners will join us in the Southall Bee Lab (inside the Speakeasy) where we will teach you how to extract honey and pair it right on site with lite food bites a high quality Tequila!

The fine print: Ticket price is a la carte and purchased per person.  If you plan to purchase woodenware for your bees, this will be an additional charge.  All woodenware will be available for pickup at Bee School if pre-ordered at least 7 days prior to school.  Additional woodenware will be available for purchase in-person however supplies are limited so pre-order is highly recommended.  Buy your hive kits ahead of time here.

Our training is hands-on, intense, and real world based.  Please dress comfortably, get a good night’s rest the night before and come ready to learn.  Hours for instruction are 8-5.  Please arrive 30 min early to allow yourselves time to get settled and walk to our school location inside Dottie’s Speakeasy!  Instruction is delivered in the form of lecture, hands on practice, and low stress testing. You’ll get the chance to bond with other new beekeepers, ask as many questions as you want, and pick up any extra tools/equipment you might have overlooked. Our special Honey extraction & Tequila tasting will be led by Jay Williams and the Southall Pollination team and feature some of the finest Tequilas from Southbound Tequila. Let us show you how to taste, smell, and experience these amazing Tequilas while they are paired with unique monofloral honeys and small bites. This will be a truly bonding experience for all involved.