“Bee Prepared! Is Beekeeping Your Next Hobby?” Saturday, July 12th, 2025, Lodi

Have you thought about beekeeping as a hobby, but haven’t been sure what you would need to get started or how much time the hobby requires? Is beekeeping for you? Register for our “Bee Prepared – Is Beekeeping Your Next Hobby” mini-class, where we will walk you through the pros and cons of beekeeping, what to ask yourself when thinking about getting hives of your own, the equipment, and the time requirements needed to be successful. You’ll leave the class with a more realistic view of what beekeeping entails and whether or not it’s a hobby you’d like to give a try.

HOW TO REGISTER for the “Bee Prepared! Is Beekeeping Your Next Hobby?” mini-class:

As a reminder, all class registrations are final and we are sorry, no refunds will be available. If you cannot attend as planned, contact us at least one week prior to the class date, to make arrangements for another individual to attend in your place.

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Big Valley Beekeepers Guild is excited to offer a two-part Beginning Beekeeping class in 2025. This class is only being offered once this spring and has a limit of 55 students.

A member discount is available! Join as a member for 2025 and receive a discount when you register for this workshop. You will receive a discount code after you join and complete a member profile. Read more about the class below.

Class Description:

Have you thought about keeping bees in your backyard? Maybe you already have your first hive? Perhaps you still consider yourself a beginner and want a refresher? Just curious about bees and what it takes to have a hive of your own?

Our next “Beginning Beekeeping”, full-day workshop will be held on Saturday, February 1st, 2025 from 9am to 4:30pm and is the perfect way to get introduced to beekeeping and get familiar with what you’ll need to know in your first year of beekeeping.

From how to pick equipment and tools to learning about the basics of bee biology, our experienced beekeepers will provide you with the practical knowledge to get started. This workshop is designed for the absolute beginner but serves as a fantastic refresher if you are in your first years of beekeeping. No prerequisite knowledge is required.

All class participants will receive a workshop outline which includes a list of available resources. Our classroom portion on February 1st will utilize a multiple group format, where you will rotate between class sessions during the workshop and have a chance to meet and chat with fellow beekeepers. A box lunch is also provided with your class registration!

Please note that our workshop will be held in-person; however, due to many changing county requirements resulting from COVID, if the situation warrants – students will be notified by email with a Zoom link and the class will be held virtually.

This beginning beekeeping workshop also includes an optional, hands-on field day at our Educational Apiary at Jessie’s Grove! This portion of the class will take place later in the spring (date to be announced, likely in April) where you will experience a hands-on introduction to bees and hives in our local BVBG apiary. We’ll demonstrate how to approach a hive, open and inspect frames, how to install bees, and how to work with your bees using gentle movements and bee biology.

If you have any questions about the class content, please contact us!

As a reminder, all class registrations are final and we are sorry, no refunds will be available. If you cannot attend as planned, contact us at least one week prior to the class date, to make arrangements for another individual to attend in your place.

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“Intermediate Beekeeping – For Your Second Year & Beyond” Saturday, March 8th, Lodi

You’ve completed your first year and first season in beekeeping, understand basic terminology (and can identify different bees in the colony, as well as find your queen), and are now ready to take a deeper dive into what the next few years will require. Whether you have been raising bees for two years or ten years, the needs of the bees can change over time! This class will focus on things such as maintaining healthy hives as a more experienced beekeeper, managing the Varroa mite, how to inspect frames and evaluate hive strength, queen management, performing splits, and managing for swarming. This class is only being offered once this spring and has a limit of 35 students..