A choice of forage

[Peebels]

I have recently made some enquiries about placing some hives on one or more sites of a local organisation with an extensive range of sites of differing forage. They have so far agreed to this prospect but have asked me what kind of forage I would be interested in, which is undoubtedly a really good question, for which I presently have no answer! As a relatively new beekeeper, I have only just got to grip (sort of) with keeping the bees, im far from being a connoisseur of honey. So is there anything I might want to look out for? I think a lot of their sites are heavily wooded in areas so that might restrict things a little.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I don't know what sort of sites you are thinking about, but anywhere with a profusion fo wildflowers should allow you to produce a nice subtle honey. The most important thing IMHO is the "range" of forage - i.e - lots of different flowers throughout the season. If it's a wild area (as opposed to crops) then you should look out for things like gorse, rosebay willowherb, blackberry, himalayan balsam, common knapweed etc.

 

[nelletap]

Agree - variety is the best and reduces the chance of a lean period. If there is somewhere closeby where the ground is suitable, march and april could be good month for sowing wildflower seed to boost what might be around already.
Tricia

 

[Peebels]

Oh gorilla gardening, I did some of that the last year down our local park area. They had torn all the ground up with track vehicles doing some “refurbishment” work, made a right mess and destroyed most of the areas where the wild flower grew. I got some thin compostable brown paper bags and filled them with a wild seed/compost mix and distributed them liberally.

 

[Arfermo]

I have recently made some enquiries about placing some hives on one or more sites of a local organisation with an extensive range of sites of differing forage. They have so far agreed to this prospect but have asked me what kind of forage I would be interested in, which is undoubtedly a really good question, for which I presently have no answer! As a relatively new beekeeper, I have only just got to grip (sort of) with keeping the bees, im far from being a connoisseur of honey. So is there anything I might want to look out for? I think a lot of their sites are heavily wooded in areas so that might restrict things a little.

Ask 'em what they grow? Alternatively tell 'em bees ain't fussy even if they are and what you are proposing is to the benefit of bees as well as mankind - including them.