Beekeeping Basics: Preparing for Bees

Prepare your garden for spring pollinators before winter even begins. This seasonal workshop explores how thoughtful fall planting can create essential habitat and early forage sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial wildlife when they need it most.

Guests will learn which trees, shrubs, perennials, and native plants provide critical spring nectar and pollen, along with practical techniques for successful fall planting, sheet mulching, and building healthier soil ecosystems. The class also covers simple but impactful habitat practices like “leave the leaves,” overwintering stems, and creating shelter for native pollinators throughout the colder months.

The workshop includes an educational handout from Oregon State University on planting for pollinators, plus a take-home pollinator seed mix designed to support overwintering habitats and spring blooms. Guests will also have the opportunity to shop a curated selection of pollinator-friendly plants available at Berry Creek Garden, with guidance on choosing the right plants for Pacific Northwest gardens and landscapes.

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A note from instructor and beekeeper, Katelyn Sharpe

I first began working with bees in 2015 on a small-scale vegetable farm in Hood River. My first task? Catching a swarm. I was instantly swooning. From that point on, I took it upon myself to truly learn the trade. I wanted to absorb as much as I possibly could: sitting in on hive inspections, harvesting honey, reading books, attending conferences, and diving into anything bee-related.

In the last five years, I’ve really deepened my practice. I began working for Abbey Road Farm in Carlton, Oregon, where we earned the Bee Friendly Farming Certification and joined the Bee Friendly Wine Grapes Program. I also enrolled in the Master Beekeeper Program at OSU and helped form a local bee club.

The bee community has had a profound impact on me. Beekeepers are some of the best people I know. They show resilience and true devotion during incredibly challenging times. To me, bees and their keepers represent a genuine sense of hope.