Beginning Beekeeping: Bees in Winter and Preparing to Beekeep Next Year

Whether you're already keeping bees or simply curious about what beekeeping involves, there will be something for you in this workshop. We'll cover some basics on bees, the progress of them through the seasons, and what to expect as colonies prepare for the chillier, darker days of winter. We'll also outline how you can prepare for beekeeping in 2024 if you plan to start your own hive.

The class is designed for beginners so no prerequisite knowledge is required. You will be able to view bees in a hive during the workshop. Bee suits will be provided by the instructors.

For your safety, please wear long sleeves, long pants and closed-toed shoes.

Instructors:

We’re proud to have experienced instructors from the San Francisco Beekeepers Association teach our Introduction to Beekeeping classes. All come with years or even decades of keeping bees in San Francisco, a sometimes challenging place for both the bees and the beekeepers because of the City’s microclimates and variable topography. The instructors bring lots of information, plenty of beekeeping visuals, beekeeping stories, and a dash of humor to make the class something to remember.

Specific instructor bios will be posted a few weeks before each class.

COVID-19 information:

• GFE Mask Guidelines: Please bring a mask and be prepared to wear it to accommodate your comfort level in an outdoor group setting.
• Please cancel your shift and do not come to GFE if you develop COVID19 symptoms on or before the day of your workshop (fever, chills, repeated shaking / shivering, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, feeling unusually weak or fatigued, new loss of taste or smell, muscle pain, headache, runny or congested nose, or diarrhea)
• GFE will continue to monitor the COVID19 situation in San Francisco and make any necessary changes to the workshop based on current information.

No walk-up registration permitted for this course.

Full garden workshop schedule

What to bring to the workshop

Directions to the garden

More about our gardening Instructors

Host or Publisher Garden for the Environment