For school

I am getting internship credit with my school while I am here. For my major, I am required to complete internship units. I wrote a "Project Proposal" in the beginning of my stay in order to set up some realistic goals for my internship. I send reports on my progress to an adviser. Here is my "Main Objective" and goals for my internship, many of which I have already completed:

I.                   Main Objective: To learn hands-on about top-bar beekeeping on a rural farm in Jamaica. To assist in completing projects for their top-bar apiary.

Goals:

1.      To understand, and implement top-bar management techniques while beekeeping on an everyday and practical level on the farm.

2.      To build other top-bar implements such as pollen traps, frames, and hive stands and fully understand their design and installation.

3.      To collect and learn about the various uses of bee products such as honey, wax, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly.

4.      To learn about the difference between Langstroth and top-bar hives and be able to weigh the benefits of top-bar in context with a rural farm in Jamaica.

5.      To acquire decision-making skills about breeding, replacing, and observing queen bees including knowing their life cycles, maintenance, and care.

6.      To become involved and participate in trainings and observe community reactions to the introduction of top-bar hives in order to understand their practicality in the local economy.

7.      Leading workshops for the local kids group Robins Bay Bee Club that visits the farm.

8.      To build my own top-bar hive for the farm using my acquired knowledge.

9.      To gain knowledge and experience in Jamaican culture in order to better understand sustainable agriculture relevant to a developing country.