Nothing makes me happier than sharing my passion for bees with like minded people. Whether you just love and admire honey bees, or are thinking about becoming a beekeeper, or are intrigued by the incredible, edible world of honey, you will leave my workshop/presentations more in love with bees than ever. As a certified Master Beekeeper, I have learned so much about bees but I continue learning from every person, every beekeeper – and above all, every honey bee. The classes are interactive – I encourage questions – and with the honey classes, we do a honey tasting sessions and I always have raw wildflower honey available for purchase. My classes include locations like Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach (events shown below in yellow), Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale (events shown below in green), Flamingo Gardens, and even the Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach (one event, shown in grey). “HEAL THE PLANET” events are below in lilac/mauve. I’m always looking for new locations, so if you know of one, please let me know.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2026
“OH HONEY in your bonnet!” at BONNET HOUSE, Saturday 25th April 2026, from 10 am to 12.30 (although sometimes it can go a bit longer)
Follow this link: https://www.bonnethouse.org/event/oh-honey/
This exciting class dives into the incredible, edible world of honey — that precious natural food that sustains honey bees and delights us in countless ways. You’ll learn how honey and honeycomb are made, how honey travels from hive to jar, its many health benefits and uses, what causes honey to crystallize, and why “organic honey” is often misunderstood. We’ll also explore the massive issue of global honey fraud and how to identify the real thing. We’ll compare wildflower (poly‑varietal) honey with mono‑varietal honeys such as orange blossom or clover, and discuss which varieties may offer greater health benefits. You’ll also get the truth about manuka honey — and whether the price tag is justified. Discover just how hard honey bees work to produce honey (did you know one worker bee makes only one‑twelfth of a teaspoon in her entire lifetime?). You’ll also learn about the process of honey production, the meaning of honey color, and the difference between raw and processed supermarket honey. The class includes a fun and surprising honey‑tasting session, where you’ll try a variety of samples and guess whether each one is raw honey straight from the hive or processed honey from a store. You’ll taste amazing creamed honey, whipped honey, foamed honey, ultra‑waxy honey, and some of the purest raw honey in the world. Please Note: Raw wildflower honey will be available for purchase after class, along with Orchid Bee Feeders and Honey Bee Revival Kits — perfect for helping those tired little bees you may find on the ground. $30 Members • $40 Future Members
to register: https://7813.blackbaudhosting.com/7813/Oh-Honey-in-Your-Bonnet
RIVERWALK ENVIRONMENTAL DAY
Saturday, February 21st, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at Town Center
Please join the Environmental & Wildlife Committee for the 4th Annual Environmental Day at the RiverWalk Town Center on Saturday, February 21, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. There will be over 30 exhibitors and vendors in attendance to educate you on environmental and wildlife issues and have all kinds of items for sale, such as, native plants, wildflowers, local honey (*** including my own***), herbs, orchids, roses, baked goods, handcrafted pottery, wooden plant stands and many more! There will be food trucks, a fire truck from Station 7, raffle tickets for sale, and animal ambassadors from Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary. Bring the whole family for a day of education and fun! https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00001QtFFCIA3&mapLinkHref=https://maps.google.com/maps&daddr=Loxahatchee%20Group%20RIVERWALK%20ENVIRONMENTAL%[email protected],-80.159496
PREVIOUS EVENTS AND EDUCATION WORKSHOPS/CLASSES
BONNET HOUSE, Fort Lauderdale
Saturday 25 Oct 2025, from 10 am to 12.30 pm:
CLASS DESCRIPTION: IS BEEKEEPING RIGHT FOR YOU?
Have you ever been fascinated by bees and wondered if beekeeping could be your next adventure? In this informative session, we’ll dive into the world of beekeeping to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you. Learn what’s involved in keeping bees, discover the steps to get started, and uncover the realities behind the buzz—spoiler alert: it’s not as simple as just putting bees in a box! As a Master Beekeeper, find out what I love about beekeeping and what I (secretly) fear and dread! Join us for an engaging discussion covering the essentials: tips and tricks, the pros and cons, and the do’s and don’ts of beekeeping. You’ll get an insider’s peek at the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of maintaining healthy hives. Whether you’re curious about the process or already considering taking the plunge, this class will provide the clarity you need to make an informed decision. Plus, enjoy the opportunity to purchase raw honey after the class, as well as Bee Revival Kits, and Orchid Bee Pods and Clubs. Your ticket also gains you access to the GARDENS at Bonnet House, so after the class, feel free to take a wander around this beautiful, peaceful oasis.
Many people want to keep bees, they think they can just put them in a box and that’s it – but being a responsible beekeeper is so much more complicated and involved – come and learn the facts of Bee Keeping.
**THIS EVENT WAS WONDERFUL!!! WHAT A GREAT CROWD IT WAS, LOTS OF GREAT INTERACTION, QUESTIONS, AND AFTER 2 AND A HALF HOURS EVERYONE WAS STILL AWAKE! THAT’S A REAL SUCCESS IN MY BOOK! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND REMEMBER – IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SEND ME AN EMAIL OR TEXT ME – LET’S GET READY FOR BEE SEASON 2024! ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BECOME BEEKEEPERS – IT’S AWESOME! BEST THING YOU’LL EVER DO! **THAT WAS SUCH A FUN GROUP! IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE 2.5 HOURS, BUT WE WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN THAT IT WENT ON TO ALMOST 3 HOURS. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING!
MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY, West Palm Beach
11 OCTOBER, SATURDAY, 10 TO 11.30 am
TOPIC: “THE PROS AND CONS OF BEEKEEPING”
Are you interested in becoming a beekeeper? Master Beekeeper Joanna Diamond will give a lecture on the pros and cons, what it means to be a beekeeper, the responsibilities, and whether beekeeping is right for you.
**WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD! IT WAS A SMALL GROUP, BUT THAT DIDN’T MATTER – IT WAS SUCH AN OPEN AND HONEST DISCUSSION, AND UNFORTUNATELY WENT OVER THE DESIGNATED TIME SLOT (FINISHING AT NOON INSTEAD OF 11.30) BUT THERE WAS JUST SO MUCH INTEREST AND SO MANY GREAT QUESTIONS! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME!
BONNET HOUSE, Fort Lauderdale
9th August, 10 to 12.30:
CLASS DESCRIPTION: “OH HONEY”
All about the incredible, edible and mysterious world of honey.
**WHAT A GREAT TURNOUT – THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING! THE HONEY TASTING WAS SO MUCH FUN, EVERYONE LOVED THE DIFFERENT HONEYS – WE HAD 9 DIFFERENT SAMPLES TO TRY, INCLUDING SOME DIFFERENT AND MORE UNUSUAL “FORMS” OF HONEY, INCLUDING REGULAR RUNNY HONEY, PLUS WHIPPED HONEY, FOAMED HONEY, WAXY HONEY, AS WELL AS COX’S CREAMED HONEY (WHICH EVERYONE LOVED!) – SORRY THE WEATHER WAS A BIT ICKY, BUT PERSONALLY, I WAS THRILLED TO SEE THE RAIN – OUR FLOWERS, TREES, LAWNS (AND OF COURSE BEES) NEEDED IT! THANK YOU EVERYONE AND THANK YOU BONNET HOUSE FOR SUPPORTING ME AND THE BEES!
BONNET HOUSE, Fort Lauderdale: SADLY CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE MILTON
Saturday OCTOBER 12TH 2024:
TOPIC: “Is Beekeeping right for YOU?”
Many people want to keep bees, they think they can just put them in a box and that’s it – but being a responsible beekeeper is so much more complicated and involved – come and learn the facts of Bee Keeping.
About Instructor Joanna Diamond: Born and raised in South Africa, Joanna’s goal is to save as many honey bees as she can. Having volunteered for four and a half years for a bee Rescue & Removal charity until 2022, she has assisted with countless bee removals, is a registered Beekeeper and in 2025, became a certified Master Beekeeper. She has an apiary (bee hives) in her garden which she jokingly calls “The Beemuda Triangle” as she always finds interesting and unusual things going on there. Her garden is also a Certified Wildlife Habitat. She works closely with a South Florida beekeeper and live bee removal specialist whom she highly recommends for live bee removals. Joanna’s message is that honey bees are our best friends and full-time unpaid employees, working tirelessly for our benefit for no reward, they are misunderstood and feared unnecessarily, struggling to survive and we need to do everything we can as a global community to help them.
MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN of Palm Beach County
Saturday 14 SEPTEMBER 2024, FROM 10 – 12.30:
CLASS DESCRIPTION: “For the love of bees”
https://www.mounts.org/event/for-the-love-of-bees-honey-tasting-presentation-with-joanna-diamond/
Enter the world of the hard-working yet least rewarded humble honey bee and find out what makes these tiny but critical insects so special. Learn fascinating facts, dispel myths and misconceptions, and find out why instead of us being afraid of them, they should be scared of us. Go behind the scenes of live bee removals, and have a frank discussion about what WE can do for THEM, instead of the other way around. We will delve into honey’s incredible, edible world, learn how bees make honey, discuss different honey varietals, and enjoy a honey-tasting session. Local raw honey will be available for sale.
**IT WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!! LOTS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP, SOME REALLY EARLY SO WE HAD SOME GREAT BEE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED! THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED, AND THANK YOU APRIL FOR HER AMAZING SUPPORT! SADLY, WE USED THE VERY LAST HONEY FROM MY WONDERFUL WATERFRONT BEE HIVE (AS PART OF THE HONEY TASTING SESSION), BUT NOT TO WORRY, I WILL REPLACE THAT TASTING WITH A BRAND NEW RAW HONEY FROM ONE OF MY UPCOMING HARVESTS!
FLAMINGO GARDENS, Fort Lauderdale/Davie
Saturday 4th May 2024, 1 – 4 pm: CLASS DESCRIPTION: THE PLIGHT OF THE HONEY BEE AND HOW WE CAN ALL HELP
Enter the fascinating world of honeybees! Understand the challenges faced by our tiny friends, dispel myths, and learn ways we can all help the declining honeybee population. Get a peek behind the scenes with videos of live bee removals and meet charming little Orchid Bees. Delve into the vast and incredible, edible world of honey and discuss honey controversies and fundamentals. Finish up by tasting, comparing, and contrasting different raw honey.
BONNET HOUSE, Fort Lauderdale: 13 April 2025
CLASS DESCRIPTION: “BEES IN OUR BONNET” https://www.bonnethouse.org/event/bees-in-our-bonnet
This exciting class will cover topics ranging from little-known but fascinating facts about honey bees, and why they are so important as pollinators, and we will discuss why, instead of us being afraid of bees, they should be afraid of us. We will dispel myths and misconceptions about bees, talk about why honey bee populations are declining, the facts behind swarms and swarming, and what you can do to help bees. We will go behind the scenes of live bee removals and will discuss what is involved with being a beekeeper; in particular, if you’re afraid of bees, can you still become a beekeeper? We will have a short overview of Orchid Bees, followed by an introduction to the wonderful world of honey, including how and why bees make honey, why the honey industry is so controversial and filled with fraud, and what honey is best. We will wrap up the event with a honey-tasting session. Raw wildflower honey will be available to buy after class, as well as Orchid Bee Feeders and Honey Bee Revival Kits for those poor, tired bees you see on the ground.
MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN of Palm Beach County:
SATURDAY: August 26th, 2023, from 10 am to 12 noon
CLASS DESCRIPTION: The Sweet Life of Honey Bees & Honey Tasting:
https://www.mounts.org/event/the-sweet-life-of-honey-bees-honey-tasting-with-joanna-diamond
the enchanting and fascinating world of honey bees, discover little known but intriguing facts about them, and learn how you can help our tiny, humble, hardworking friends to help us. Find out what challenges they face, dispel myths, and find out why beekeeping is so mesmerizing. Delve into the incredible edible world of honey and explore other magical bee products. Meet charming little Orchid Bees, and enjoy an in-depth honey tasting session. Joanna will have local raw honey for sale after class, as well as a few orchid bee feeders.
**WHAT A FABULOUS EVENT! THANK YOU AGAIN TO APRIL FOR ARRANGING EVERYTHING AND HER TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FOR ALL BEES, NATURE AND WILDLIFE – SHE IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. THERE WAS A REALLY GREAT RESPONSE, A REALLY GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, TREMENDOUS QUESTIONS, AND LOTS OF INTEREST IN OUR ORCHID BEE FRIENDS TOO! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED, AND FOR THEIR INTEREST IN OUR GREATEST FRIENDS, THE HONEY BEES.
HEAL THE PLANET DAY:
SUNDAY 30 April 2023, 10 am to 4 pm
https://healtheplanet.com/events/heal-the-planet-day/
will take place in Esplanade Park, Ft. Lauderdale (400 SW 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312) from 10 am to 4 pm.
Join us as we celebrate Earth Day by bringing together the South Florida community for a day of family-friendly activities. Heal The Planet Day is a great event with an amazing array of activities for all ages, food vendors, live entertainment, and our amazing 25-foot Globe. I will have a booth there and will be selling raw honey and other bee related items, and more importantly, discussing anything and everything to do with bees, how they desperately need our help, and I will be bringing a couple of Orchid Bee Feeders, hoping to entice some shy, gentle Orchid Bees to visit! I will be giving a short presentation at 3.30 at my booth, so do stop by!
BONNET HOUSE, Fort Lauderdale:
CLASS DESCRIPTION: “BEES IN OUR BONNET”
20 MAY 2023: 10 am to 12.30 pm
https://www.bonnethouse.org/event/bees-in-our-bonnet
This exciting class will cover topics ranging from little-known but fascinating facts about honey bees, and why they are so important as pollinators, and we will discuss why, instead of us being afraid of bees, they should be afraid of us. We will dispel myths and misconceptions about bees, talk about why honey bee populations are declining, the facts behind swarms and swarming, and what you can do to help bees. We will go behind the scenes of live bee removals and will discuss what is involved with being a beekeeper; in particular, if you’re afraid of bees, can you still become a beekeeper? We will have a short overview of Orchid Bees, followed by an introduction to the wonderful world of honey, including how and why bees make honey, why the honey industry is so controversial and filled with fraud, and what honey is best. We will wrap up the event with a honey-tasting session. Raw wildflower honey will be available to buy after class, as well as Orchid Bee Feeders and Honey Bee Revival Kits for those poor, tired bees you see on the ground.
MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN of Palm Beach County:
17 June 2023, 10 am to noon
CLASS DESCRIPTION: HYPNOTIC HONEY BEES
Enter the enchanting and fascinating world of honey bees, discover little known but intriguing facts about them and learn how you can help our tiny, humble, hardworking friends to help us. Find out what challenges they face, dispel myths, and find out why beekeeping is so mesmerizing. Delve into the incredible edible world of honey and explore other magical bee products. Meet charming little Orchid Bees, and enjoy an in-depth honey tasting session. In honor of National Pollinators’ Week. Includes snacks and beverages.
BONNET HOUSE, FORT LAUDERDALE
FAMILY DAY AT BONNET HOUSE – 18 March 2023 – from 10 am to 2 pm. **WHAT A GREAT DAY! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! NOT ONLY DID WE GET TO MEET THE COOLEST TWO OF THE MOUNTED FORT LAUDERDALE UNITS ON HORSEBACK (THEY LOVED THE HONEY!) AND I’M SURE THE HORSES WERE POSING FOR THE CAMERA! I DID HONEY TASTINGS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO LOVED THE IDEA OF COMPARING DIFFERENT HONEYS SIDE BY SIDE. IT WAS ALSO REALLY FUN TO HAVE A DARK HONEY (HARVESTED LAST MONTH) COMPARED WITH A LIGHT HONEY (HARVESTED LAST YEAR) AND THE DIFFERENT SUBTLETIES BETWEEN THEM – SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY TASTED PEACHES OR MANGOES, OTHER THOUGHT BRAZILLIAN PEPPERS OR MANGROVES – SOME THOUGHT ORANGE BLOSSOM – IT WAS SO MUCH FUN AND EVERYONE HAD DIFFERENT IDEAS! I MET LOTS OF REALLY COOL KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS, TOLD THEM (AND BONNET HOUSE VOLUNTEERS) LOTS OF COOL FACTS ABOUT BEES, AND EVEN TWO ORCHID BEES SHOWED UP TO DEMONSTRATE THE WONDERS OF MY ORCHID BEE FEEDERS! THANK YOU TO ALL THE BONNET HOUSE VOLUNTEERS – YOU ARE ALL AWESOME! LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MY WORKSHOP CLASS IN MAY!
MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN of Palm Beach County:
4th February 2023:
CLASS DESCRIPTION: this class covered topics ranging from little known but intriguing facts about honey bees, why honey bees in particular are so important as pollinators, do we need to be afraid of bees or should bees be afraid of us, and dispelling myths and misconceptions about bees. We discussed why honey bee populations are declining, the facts behind swarms and swarming, what you can do when you spot a swarm, what you can do to help bees, and we will go behind the scenes of live bee removals. We talked about becoming a beekeeper, what it involves, and in particular, can you become a beekeeper if you’re afraid of bees. We had a short overview of orchid bees, followed by an introduction to the fascinating world of honey, including how and why bees make honey, and what honey is best. We wrapped up the event with a honey tasting session. raw wildflower honey was available to buy after class, as well as orchid bee feeders and honey bee revival kits. the class was so much fun and had so many great questions, that when the two-hour time limit was up – they wanted to keep going! so we continued for another 45 minutes, doing honey tastings, answering more questions etc. what an awesome workshop that was! People so enjoyed the honey (especially those with seasonal allergies) that it sold out immediately – I ended up shipping quite a few jars to people locally to help with their seasonal hay fever and allergies.
**THE PRESENTATION AT MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDENS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY ON 4TH FEBRUARY 2023 WAS AWESOME!! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP, IN SPITE OF THE TORRENTIAL RAIN AND STORMS EVERYWHERE – I KNOW IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE A TWO HOUR PRESENTATION, BUT WE WERE ALL HAVING SO MUCH FUN AND SUCH GREAT DISCUSSIONS – NOT TO MENTION THE DELICIOUS HONEY TASTING SESSION – THAT IT WENT ON FOR THREE HOURS!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THE NEXT ONE!!!
HEAL THE PLANET
Garden Pollinator presentation on 29th January 2022 at wonderful Snyder Park: Brrrr that was a cold day! Thank you to those who braved the cold to join me and participate in the shortish presentation about bees and how we all can help them, delivered next to the Butterfly Garden. We all enjoyed walking around the garden afterwards – but yikes, was it chilly!
DEMURS FARMERS MARKET
October 2nd and 9th, 2021: What a great way to spread the word about Urban Bee Keeping, as the longest volunteer for the 501(c)3 charity Happy Bee Honey Club (sadly no longer in existence), saving the bees and protecting our pollinators! I took an empty bee hive with me that got a lot of “buzz”, and was lucky enough to meet two wonderful people – one who offered us her garden shed to keep our bee equipment (thank you Gail!), and the other who volunteered his amazing garden as a bee sanctuary (Patrick – you’re totally awesome)! So many people were intrigued by what we did (live bee removals), and thank you also to Tam who came to help out on one of these days!
Heal The Planet workshop at Snyder Park on12/18/2021 – WAS EXCELLENT!
Heal The Planet event at Snyder Park: 9th April 2021 – Food Fest Event – SAVE THE FOOD (as part of Food Waste Prevention Week) – There was tremendous interest in saving bees – met some wonderful, environmentally conscious people and had a great time
MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN of Palm Beach County:
CLASS DESCRIPTION: Bee Culture: An Amazing Adventure/ The Amazing Adventure of Bees and Beekeeping
July 30, 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm:
Come see what all the buzz is about! Learn how to become a beekeeper and what to consider before becoming a beekeeper. Discover why honeybees are so important, why they are struggling to survive, and what you can do to help them. Get a behind-the-scenes look at a live bee removal and learn the facts behind swarms and swarming. Find out why and how bees make honey and how they are able to share their bounty with us. Get an introduction to Orchid Bees and other pollinators. Honey will be available for sale and tasting, and refreshments will be provided. I was so excited to be giving a workshop/presentation about our wonderful honey bees. It was all about honey bees, dispelling myths, intriguing facts about them, how we can help bees – should we be afraid of bees or should bees afraid of us – and so many more topics. Please do come and support us – by learning about the bees, we can all help them – and support Mounts Botanical Gardens – they really LOVE bees and it is the most magical place.
SCIENCE NIGHT – Sheridan Hills Elementary School, 25 May 2022:
What a great way to educate the students and their families on bees. There were two rotations of 30 minutes each, and I was so impressed at how even the youngest students were so knowledgeable about bees – even more than most of the parents! It was a great success and I’ve been invited back in 2023 – very excited about that too!