Instructors | Honey Bees Unlimited

Honey Bee University is a collection of experienced beekeepers with a passion for teaching and sharing knowledge. Our lead instructor Michelle Boerst is Texas' first ever Master Craftsman Beekeeper. She is currently developing classes and curriculums for future offerings. She will be joined by Rebecca Vaughn and Gary Barber, all professional beekeepers with different skills and areas of expertise to offer.

Our first offerings will be just for our beginner crowd. Please check back frequently as we add more offerings in areas like (going commercial, IPM, queen rearing, spilts, apiary products sales to name a few). Also look for more hands on workshops as we get going. Our first classes will be in Denton and Wills Point, TX. We are looking to expand. Teaching classes in your area? Need help booking and marketing? Reach out to see about joining our team and bringing our curriculum to your area. education@honeybeesultd.com

better with bees

Our Faculty

Our team of experienced beekeepers are passionate about sharing their knowledge of bees with others. HBU's informative, experienced and enthusiastic professors will take you to the next level in your beekeeping journey.

Master Craftsman Beekeeper

Michelle Boerst

Texas' first ever Master Craftsman Beekeeper. Heading up our education efforts,

Michelle is dedicated to creating a university with a catalog of comprehensive classes and workshops that appeal to any level of beekeeping and bring beekeepers to a new level of expertise.

She has mentored many bee students over her 9 years of beekeeping with her company Bursting Bees and loves the opportunity to teach about bees to anyone who will listen.

She founded the Denton Area Beekeepers Association in 2015, achieved her Master Craftsman Certification in January of 2023 and is currently the editor of Texas Beekeepers Association publication, The Journal.

Professional Beekeeper

Rebecca Vaughn

Owner of Eastside Honey. No nonsense approach to beekeeping.

Rebecca is an Advanced Master Beekeeper in The Texas Master Beekeeper Program; her focus is beekeeping education. She is also the vice president of our county bee club, the Northeast Texas Beekeepers Association, and a past director and event coordinator of the Texas Beekeepers Association.

She has a passion for beekeeping, and her favorite place to be is in her apiaries. When she's not out inspecting her hives, she's continuing her education through research and beekeeping volunteer opportunities. To Rebecca, beekeeping is multidimensional and requires flexibility through management, research, education, and experience. Her favorite part of beekeeping is that it brings her closer to nature.

Professional Beekeeper

Paul Caplinger

Bee guru of Denton County. Paul started beekeeping in 2010 with his first top bar hive. A hive he built himself.

Currently Paul has 20 hives--a combination of langstroth, long langstroth and top bar hives. Paul is an active member of the Texas Bee Association, the Denton County Beekeeping Association and the Collin County Beekeeping Association. He has mentored many bee club members and is always willing to share his beekeeping techniques.

Paul will be teaching a workshop on how to split or increase a hive without having to find your queen! This method is perfect for the hobby beekeeper who is ready to grow your bee yard.