Bees installed!

[miss_thenorth]

Do you have to have lotsa fruit trees and flowers and such in order to keep bees? I only have an apple and a pear, and a vegetable garden. And soy/corn/winter wheat fields all around.

 

[reinbeau]

Are there weeds and other trees? It's actually quite amazing what's blooming around you when you really start to look, and most weeds and trees are great bee plants. Sounds as though you're in an agricultural area, your biggest problem will be chemical use and monoculture, if the area is farmed via conventional agricultural methods.

 

[Tallman]

Do you have to have lotsa fruit trees and flowers and such in order to keep bees? I only have an apple and a pear, and a vegetable garden. And soy/corn/winter wheat fields all around.

Bees will travel about 2 miles if they have to to find plants to work. Your fruit trees will help for the building up of their store after the winter; however, if you want to rob them of excess honey, you will need plants that flower during the summer. They will also work dandelions and the little white dutch clover that grows in the yard. When I had bees, the best years were the years when my sweet clover bloomed; however, it only bloomed every other year. So during the years without the clover I got a different tasting honey. I had one year when the honey was as black as molasses, and it tasted like molasses too. I still have it, and since I'm not keeping bees any more, my supplies are getting down to the point where I decided to get this honey out. DW likes it, and I am going to use it as a molasses substitute when I bake bread. My guess is that the bees worked some kind of a cane sorghum that particular year. If you live in a farming area, I would bet that they'll find plenty of plants to work.

I sure enjoy reading about the progress that our beekeepers are doing here on the forum. You beeks need to keep it up. The honeybee needs you.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Well, I guess that's good to know. I have planned on getting bees, but way in the future (too many other priorities). i also have planned on planting flowering annuals and perennials, but again, in the future( too many other priorities), so maybe when all the other stuff settles down, I can do those two things together.

 

[Tallman]

Well, I guess that's good to know. I have planned on getting bees, but way in the future (too many other priorities). i also have planned on planting flowering annuals and perennials, but again, in the future( too many other priorities), so maybe when all the other stuff settles down, I can do those two things together.

I don't know how much acreage you have to work with, but you might do some looking into the planting of some bee friendly plants now so if you ever get some hives you'll be all set. I don't know if sweet clover grows in your area; however, my waterways are full of it, and that's one plant the bees really like.

Good luck.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Are there weeds and other trees? It's actually quite amazing what's blooming around you when you really start to look, and most weeds and trees are great bee plants. Sounds as though you're in an agricultural area, your biggest problem will be chemical use and monoculture, if the area is farmed via conventional agricultural methods.

Yes, there ae weeds and other trees--we have poplar (not by choice--they came with the house) We are in agricultural area-soybeans, wheat, feed corn. Just us we have almost three acres of untreated yard and horse pasture. There is a small bush lot across the road, and roadsides and ditches are untreated, and cut about two to three times a year. We might have enough to sustain a hive, but I'm thinking spring time (now)there might not be a whole lot for them. I do believe we have sweet clover--we have the pinkish purple, and whitish purple in our yard, plus lots that grow in the ditches. Also some yellow. Chemical use is baically limited to Roundup, since the corn and beans are roundup ready (don't get me started!) They spray this around two times a year, I believe.

With trying to start a 'hobby' farm, planting flower gardens has never been a priority for me--getting the animals and veggies going has been the top priorities.

There is a local beek who is getting older and thinking about giving up his hives. I buy his honey--but not through him. The farmer I buy my flour from sells his honey and told me he's considering giving it up.

I'm also kinda sitting on the fence about bees now though, since you (Ann)mentioned that theymight not survive the winter, and therefore not cost effective. That's why I though it might be something I do as a "hobby" hobby, (for when money is not as much of an issue) as opposed to what I'm trying to do around here now. Bee keeping has always fascinated me though.

If I were to plant, what would be some recommendations?

 

[reinbeau]

Ah, but they might survive the winter, too! We did lose all but two this past winter (we take some solace in the fact that many of our fellow beeks throughout New England also lost lots of hives), so hive loss happens. We have a plan this year for mite management and hive management we hope will work. The goal is to go into the winter with a strong, healthy supply of young bees, hopefully it'll work.

The beekeeper's motto - Next year it will be better!