Honeybees are a joy to keep in the backyard simply for their buzzing presence and, on hot days, the smell of honey, wafting through the air within ten feet of the hive. They increase pollination in your yard and therefore increase your yields from fruit trees and vegetables. You may also harvest honey from the hive. Learn what you need to know to feel ready to have a Langstroth backyard beehive – how to get bees, what equipment you need, where to put the hive, what the bees need, and what you need to learn/do to keep your bees healthy.

We recommend that if you do get bees, that you also take our hive inspection class and year round varroa mite management.  

You will get video and audio recordings of the class.

Instructor: Jennifer Radtke has been keeping bees in her backyard for 15 years, and has developed the beekeeping education program at the Oasis. She is former vice-president of the Alameda Co Beekeeping Association.