'good' commercial crops?

[bjosephd]

So what commercial crops can be expected or even hoped for (or not hoped for!) in the UK?

I know there are mixed opinions about the blessing/curse ratio of OSR, although so far I've never been close enough to any to experience it (probably about 10 or 15 miles away).

In my immediate area within bees reach is miscanthus (elephant grass) which doesn't flower at all as far as I'm aware... many acres have been put over to it on what used to be grazing pastures, sadly the dairy industry has dwindled significantly over the years.

There are a few small neglected traditional orchards near by, and even a gazillion acres of Thatchers commercial orchards (just out of reach) - but the Thatchers orchards no doubt will be sprayed with god knows what one imagines.

Other than that the rest is hedgerows and grazing pastures.

Just wondering, if at the pub I bump into the local farmer who has decided to grow miscanthus on a ton of his land, is there an alternative commercially viable crop I could suggest to him to grow instead?

Miscanthus appears to be a very low maintenance crop.

What else do we grow commercially here in this here island of ours that might provide for bees also?

BJD

 

[birdsandbees]

After a chat with the farmer that owns the land where I keep two apiaries (dairy farmer) he's going to plant a few acres of red clover for the mutual benefit of his cattle and the bees, he usually grows maize but fingers crossed the Bees will literally be rolling in clover next year.

 

[bjosephd]

Indeed, a proper diverse pasture (as it should ideally be) is great for bees and livestock alike... a pasture should be a veritable salad bar! Clovers and dandelions to say the least.


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[Into the lions den]

After a chat with the farmer that owns the land where I keep two apiaries (dairy farmer) he's going to plant a few acres of red clover for the mutual benefit of his cattle and the bees, he usually grows maize but fingers crossed the Bees will literally be rolling in clover next year.

Needs to be white clover, and the natural short stuff at that....red clover not much use to honeybees. Never seen it yield and whilst I have never measured such things myself it is often said that the florets are too deep for their tongues to reach down into.

 

[Millet]

The Dairy farms i do work for cut there grass fields three times per year so not much gets chance to flower properly apart from all the hedge rows.

 

[REDWOOD]

Red clover does not produce much nectar, the white variety does. bee will work it if there is nothing else.

http://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/borage-area-set-to-rise-in-2014.htm

 

[For want of a better word]

WHITE clover is very good... not sure about the red one... some say lucerne/ alfalfa is not a good forage crop... but one of my best apiaries did very well on it
Physalia.. green manure, if left to flower is good too
and borage / mint / lavender grown commercially is stupendous!
Avoid that weed manuka... you probably would not be able to sell as Manuka honey anyway!

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

Alsike clover is good, even in mixtures with red clover. But they are cutted when they start to bloom

 

[bjosephd]

Interesting stuff... I'm aware white clover can be good... but don't think I can persuade a local to start farming it!

I might enquire at Thatchers, I'm curious to what degree they spray their trees, with what, and when. Is apple blossom honey much to write home about anyway? I know it can be quite a short window.

Also I have a contact for the local OSR land... is it worth making use of? For early splits/nucs build up or getting comb drawn maybe?


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[Erichalfbee]

Hedgerows can yield very well some years but I don't suppose commercially unless you are prepared to do what the commercial farmers around here do which is scatter groups of hives here there and everywhere. Newquay honey farm seem to do ok near me

 

[bjosephd]

Oh I don't mean commercial for me. Sorry, I wasn't clear. I mean commercial for the farmers who's crops they are. It was more a thought of saying to said farmer/land owner in the pub some time... "have you thought about growing x or y, instead of miscanthus...?" for example. And I was just generally curious.


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[chipper]

Down in South Devon....Crops which produce honey...OSR then Field Beans....most of my honey comes from trees....Sycamore, Hawthorn (Rarely), Lime and then Sweet Chestnut...
White Clover from uncultivated pastures some years, Bell heather from the hills,
Bramble from the hedgerows
Apple trees can produce nectar and honey : its just not warm enough for us usually....
This year only 10% during the Spring and 90% of the crop in Summer...it s more even usually....

 

[bjosephd]

Hey Chipper,

Do you get your honey tested to be sure of it's origin? Or do you just know your local botany very well indeedy?


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[chipper]

Have been in the area 30 years with bees and now have a pretty good idea what they re bringing in....usually leaving the honey with a predominant flavour ...some years its very multifloral....I do nt sell any honey labelled with a named flavour ...I just label the jars with the locality of the apiary and try to sell as locally as possible...

 

[Michael Palmer]

Needs to be white clover, and the natural short stuff at that....

We call that one White Dutch. After cutting, blooms come right back, and they will yield if the weather is right. Unlike alsike and ladino. Once you cut them they don't really bloom again.

 

[Fatbee]

With the continued low cereal prices you will probably find more stubbles left as farriw (also a good way to combat the dreaded blackgrass). Encouraging uncultivated bits of fields probably your best bet where the likes of clover will come through.

OSR still the best for yielding.

 

[Brian Bush]

After a chat with the farmer that owns the land where I keep two apiaries (dairy farmer) he's going to plant a few acres of red clover for the mutual benefit of his cattle and the bees, he usually grows maize but fingers crossed the Bees will literally be rolling in clover next year.

There is a problem with red clover. The florets are often too long for honey bees to reach the nectar. If the clover is cut for hay the second flowering of the year often has shorter florets. White clover is suitable for the proboscis length of the honey bee.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We call that one White Dutch. After cutting, blooms come right back, and they will yield if the weather is right. Unlike alsike and ladino. Once you cut them they don't really bloom again.

Yes same here. Cut it and it comes again with slightly smaller flowers and even better for the bees. I can tell when my bees are getting nectar. The air is heavy with the smell of clover and if you pop a flower in your mouth it's sweet

 

[beebreeder]

sainfoin, borage, field beans and more but I have just noticed 2.5 hives so more than you would know what to do with, not being rude

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Borage here..... Not sure beans yield much ....I see migration of hives to the borage