Classes

Reducing Stress On Your Hives Class

We held the Saturday field class for Reducing Stress On Your Hives at the GBA Apiary at Pajaro. Here’s some photos!

And here’s a few infrared photos of the native hives in the old building in the courtyard:

Class Follow-Up

Thank you for taking the "You've Getting Your Bees - Now What?" class from GBA. We are very interested in how you and your bees are doing, and if we can provide any assistance or answer any questions.

Please send us a couple of photos at the following times:

  • 2 weeks after installing your bees.
  • 1 month after installing your bees.
  • 2 months after installing your bees.

We are here to help! Check the box on the form if you'd like Arthur or Sara to reach out to you. Happy successful beekeeping!

Here's a sample of the photos we're looking for:

Class Followup

Class Signups

Signups are now available for the GBA class series “Getting Through the First Year”. Click here to sign up.

More information:

Class Registration Confirmation

Order confirmed!

Class 2021.12.08- Becoming a Beekeeper – thank you for registering

Thank you for registering for our Becoming a Beekeeper class. Our Master Beekeepers are looking forward to sharing how to get started as a Backyard Beekeeper!

Click here to join the Zoom meeting on Dec 8, 2021 at 7PM.

Additional Zoom information:

Meeting ID: 885 5165 1278
Passcode: 652946
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,88551651278#,,,,*652946# US

Dial by your location
+1 669 900 9128 US

Swarm School 2019

Swarm School is back by popular demand, presented by Gilroy Beekeepers Association!

The class is designed for those who wish to learn how to safely capture bee swarms with minimum impact on people and the environment. GBA members who successfully complete the class will be eligible to add their name to the Gilroy Beekeepers Association Swarm Removal page.

Class size is limited to 20, so don't wait - register below or contact Randy Fox at 408-406-6262 for information:

When:  Saturday, March 9, 2019

Time:  10 am to 1 pm

Location:  Fox Apiary, 13346 Colony Avenue, San Martin, CA 95046

Instructors:  Roark Diters, Mike Stang and Randy Fox

Cost for members:  $5.00 (fee to cover the cost of materials)

Cost for non-members: $15.00

Download poster here.

[contact-form-7 id="856" title="Contact Form"]

Packages and Splits Class

How to install packages of new bees and how to split existing hives before they swarm.

You’re Getting Your Bees – Now What?

Ever wondered how to get started as a beekeeper?

Join our two-part class and find out everything you need to know to get started! No prior experience necessary, this course is designed to help anyone new to beekeeping gain confidence to care for their own bees.

Gilroy Beekeepers Association (GBA) has been supporting local hobby beekeepers and bringing those curious about bees together for over 20 years. Our members range from experienced beekeepers to complete newbies. Members benefit from regular meetings, access to great speakers, and training opportunities like this one - the ideal combination for learning and sharing about beekeeping.

We will be kicking off our You're Getting Your Bees - Now What? (A.K.A. "Introduction to Beekeeping") with a virtual Zoom meeting on Wednesday evening, March 23 at 7PM, and follow up with a hands-on session in the field on Saturday, March 26 at 9AM.

When: 
- Wednesday, March 23 at 7PM via Zoom
- Saturday, March 26 at 9AM in the field, location TBA

Location:  Zoom and field location to be announced

Instructors:  Master Beekepers and GBA Members - Sara Cutrignelli (UC Davis) and Arthur Kubogamell (Cornell)

Cost: $80.00 per person

Click here to enroll.

Day 1: online
Wednesday, March 23 at 7PM

Join experienced and master beekeepers via Zoom for the first in our two-part course. You will hear and see:

  • Why keep bees...not just for the honey
  • Basic bee biology and life cycle
  • Choosing which bees are best for you and how to install them
  • Local regulations
  • Hive setup, configuration and placement
  • Pest issues
  • How to do a hive inspection
  • Protective equipment needed (before next session!)

Note: attendance at this online class is a prerequisite to the field class this weekend.

Day 2: at the bee yard
Saturday, March 26

Here's your chance to put into practice what you have learned the previous week. Get together with experienced beekeeper mentors and find out how to:

  • Properly wear all protective equipment
  • Use all tools
  • How to light and use your smoker
  • How to open a hive
  • Recognize each of the bee castes (queen, drone, worker) cells
  • Identify brood cells, honey storage cells, capped and uncapped cells
  • How to install bee packages and nucs
  • Look for pests

Note: don't delay! Each participant is expected to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) including veil, jacket, gloves and boots, to this class. PPE is available at these establishments:

Harvesting and Hive Products – June 2022

Your bees have been busy making honey - how do I harvest?

Join our class and find out everything you need to know about harvesting, hive products, and summer hive maintenance! This course is designed to show you how and when to harvest honey, wax and other hive products. We will also review summer hive maintenance - proper feeding and treatment. The best way to protect is to identify problems early - that's why the focus of these sessions will continue to be on identifying and eradicating common honeybee maladies such as Varroa, ants, foulbrood, and nosema.

Gilroy Beekeepers Association (GBA) has been supporting local hobby beekeepers and bringing those curious about bees together for over 20 years. Our members range from experienced beekeepers to complete newbies. Members benefit from regular meetings, access to great speakers, and training opportunities like this one - the ideal combination for learning and sharing about beekeeping.

The Harvesting and Hive Products class is a hands-on field class on Sun, June 12 (8-12 am).

When: Sunday morning, June 12 at 8AM

Location:  Location to be announced

GBA Member Instructors:  Master Beekeepers Sara Cutrignelli (UC Davis) and Arthur Kubogamell (Cornell)

Cost per person: $80.00

Click here to enroll.

At the field location at 8 am
Sunday, June 12

Here's your chance to get together with experienced beekeeper mentors:

  • How to do a hive inspection
  • Selecting and removing honey frames from the hive
  • Uncapping techniques
  • Loading and running the extractor
  • Wax rendering
  • Other hive products
  • Cleaning and maintaining frames and boxes

Note: each participant is expected to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) including veil, jacket, gloves and boots. PPE is available at these establishments:

Scroll to Top