Monthly Meetings

We hope you can join us at our next monthly meeting! We alternate between in-person and Zoom meetings during the year, so be sure to check our Facebook page for updates. The Zoom meeting info is provided via email to BVBG members the day of the meeting. Send us an email to get added to the meeting reminder list!

Date: 2nd Thursday of every month (check Facebook event page for changes)
Time: Program @ 6:30pm, doors open at 6pm
Place: Contact us for the meeting location, which can vary. We are currently being hosted by GracePoint Church, located at 801 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi, CA 95242.

We also live-stream meetings for BVBG members when technology allows!

We feature a different topic each month, guest speakers from across the country, and a chance to socialize and meet with fellow beekeepers. Ask questions and exchange ideas, problem-solve with the group about your hives. Come to learn something new!

Upcoming Dates and Topics for 2025:

  • January 9th – Bee Stings with Judy Prima
  • February 13th – The Benefits of Propolis to Honey Bee Colonies – with WAS/Dr. Marla Spivak, University of Minnesota
  • March 13th – Randy McCaffrey – Dirt Rooster Bees https://www.youtube.com/@628DirtRooster
  • April 10th – “The Art & Magic of Balancing Hive Resources” with Guest Speaker, Keith Scott of El Dorado Beekeepers
  • May 8th – Eric Oliver – Golden West Apiaries – “Starting Strong: Installing Nucs, Caring for New Colonies & Staying Swarm Savvy“
  • June 12th – Bob Binnie, “The Chemistry of Honey” https://www.youtube.com/@bobbinnie9872
  • July 10th – Tail Gate Party – Bee Equipment Swap & Mark Allen – Dalan and Vaccinated Queens
  • August 14th – The Biology of Feeding Bees, with David R. Tarpy, Professor and Extension Apiculturist Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University
  • September 11th
  • October 9th
  • November 13th
  • December 11th – Annual Christmas Social

Past Topics (2024):

  • February 8th – The Small Hive Beetle with Janet Brisson of Country Rubes https://www.countryrubes.com/
  • March 14th – Swarm Catching 101 and Splitting Hives with Mark Allen of BVBG
  • April 11th – Honey Bee Biology & Communication, with author and educator Hilary Kearney – Beekeeping Like a Girl/Girl Next Door Honey https://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/
  • May 9th – Varroa Mite Treatments, a Deep Dive with Sandy Honigsberg – UCD Master Beekeeper https://bees.sandyhonigsberg.com/
  • June 13th – Bob Binnie, of Blue Ridge Honey Company – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDyga7OtRJSzHzXXXurYCmQ
  • July 11th – Honey Extraction with John Hill, of HillCo – https://www.hillco.buzz/
  • August 8th – Planting For Pollinators, with Greg Gayton of Green Acres Nursery – https://idiggreenacres.com
  • September 12th – Beekeeping In Our County, with San Joaquin Ag Commissioner Kamal Bagri – https://www.sjgov.org/department/agcomm/programs/apiary
  • October 10th – Preparing Colonies For Winter in the Valley – Building Strong, Resilient Bees For Fall, with a very special guest speaker, Jose Uribe – YouTube’s The California Beekeeper http://www.thecaliforniabeekeeper.com
  • November 16th – Annual BVBG Honey Harvest Fest & Member Honey Tasting Contest! 2pm to 5pm, Jessie’s Grove Winery, Lodi. Celebrate the hard work of our local bees and beekeepers at this special honey – focused festival! Meet with many local beekeepers, learn about the unique honey their bees produce each year, and enjoy the chance to taste a large variety of pure honeys – all in one place. Browse the tables, sample the different flavors, and purchase your favorite jars directly from the beekeepers. Plus, take part in the Annual Honey Tasting Contest by casting your vote for the People’s Choice Awards: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! Don’t miss out – join us for this sweet celebration! Take home a jar of honey made right in our community. We can’t wait to see you there!
  • December 12th – BVBG Member Christmas Social/Party
  • Please note! There will be no regular monthly meetings in Nov & Dec – instead we will be hosting the Honey Harvest Fest and Annual Member Christmas Social.

Meetings for 2025 will resume on the 2nd Thursday of each month, starting January 9th, 2025.