Backyard Beekeeping 101

Beekeeping is one of the most fruitful and rewarding hobbies you can have, and just about anyone with a yard can do it! Get to know how you can start your own backyard beehive with Queen & Colony Bee Co. owner and expert Josh Harris. He’ll share all the sweet knowledge behind successful at-home beekeeping, and you’ll walk away knowing the ins and outs of starting your colony. Soon you can start to harvest your own delicious yard-to-table honey, see your garden flourish with the help of your buzzy pollinators, and enjoy the unique pleasure of maintaining your own family of bees.

This workshop will dive into:

• Basic understanding of honeybees
• The hive
• Tools and equipment
• Setting up a bee yard
• Getting bees
• Inspecting a colony
• Swarm control
• Pests and diseases
• Products of the hive

If you’re a first time beekeeper, it’s so important to learn bee biology and the basics of beekeeping from an expert before you start your colony – you and your bees will be happier for it! Don’t miss your chance to learn from a master and reap the most out of your new beekeeping hobby.

Class Cost:
General Admission: $35
Low Income/Senior: $15

Although our base price for this course is $35, Sweetwater is a nonprofit that puts on educational programs for elementary schools in the neighborhood and teaches them about food systems and basically where their food comes from. We also host community volunteer days and a farmer’s market every Sunday from November through May. You can donate to Sweetwater in addition to your course fee if you’d like to help us continue our programs. And if you want to get your hands dirty in our gardens you can contribute your time by volunteering Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings from 9-12.