Intro to Urban Beekeeping – Spring

Interested in becoming a beekeeper or just want to learn the fundamentals of beekeeping? Join us in 2027 for our 3-class session where attendees will learn from a group of experienced urban beekeepers. The first class of the spring session is on Saturday, March 27 from 10 am – 3 pm will be in a very warm classroom where you will learn:

• Basic bee biology,
• Considerations about equipment,
• Hive set-up, and location,
• Where to get your first bees & how to put them in the hive,
• Hive management through the seasons (focus on Spring),
• Natural beekeeping approaches & strategies,
• What is going on in a live hive,
• How to recognize common pests & diseases.

Lunch will be provided.

Apiary Sessions:

• First apiary session – May 8, 2027. 9am – 12pm
• Second apiary session – June 12, 2027. 9am – 12pm

The next two classes in the spring session – May 8, from 9 am – 12 pm, and June 12, from 9 am – 12 pm – will be hands-on in-person at the apiary where you’ll suit up for a look at what’s going on in the hive.  You will conduct an inspection with an experienced beekeeper and focus on spring management techniques. These classes are very weather dependent and dates may change if weather is bad.

The apiary classes are held simultaneously at two locations – you can choose which location to attend (but we may have to assign people to keep class sizes balanced) – either Awbury Arboretum (in Germantown at 6336 Ardleigh St., 19138) or Anna Bee’s Honey (in South Philly at 2500 Dickinson Street, 19147). Both classes will be on a Saturday from 9AM – 12PM.

Each three class session is $200 per person and we can advise on purchasing equipment to get you started once you’ve completed the course. Paying class participants also become Guild members at the “Bee Lover ” level. This will keep you informed of other apiary and volunteer opportunities and give you a discount if you decide to upgrade to Hobbyist or Beekeeper levels.