Osr

[simonforeman]

Hi...
this question may of been covered before but I'm going to ask anyway..
I've had a scout round the fields In my area and there is a field of OSR 0.7 mile drive away so slightly closer as the bee flies. I live on the edge of a small village and the bees would have to fly over gardens to get to it so...
I guess they will find it when it's ready but will they just collect this?
If they mix with other nectar to make honey will I get a good quality honey?

There looks to be other sources in and around the area

Simon

 

[pargyle]

Bees are opportunistic .. if the OSR gives them a better yield per amount of energy expended collecting from it they will go for it ... At less than a mile from you it's close enough, if it flowers when the weather is sufficiently clement for them to get to it, they will find it, it's a very concentrated source of forage.

OSR is one of those marmite honeys - like it or hate it. It certainly makes a good soft set honey but you have to watch for it coming in and get the supers off almost as soon, or even before it is capped as it sets very fast. Even mixed with other nectar sources it will lead to a quick setting honey.

As to flavour ...like I said, matter of personal taste.

 

[colinc]

I worried when **** came into flower a similar distance from me last year. Winter **** flowers for 6 weeks but due to temperatures may not have nectar all that time. I had over 60lb of honey off 2 colonies from the **** and you just need to extract it as soon as the flowers start to fade or it can set in the frames.
Mild honey not particularly strong flavour but a lot of people hate it because they smell cabbages when they open a jar.

 

[Millet]

Hi...
this question may of been covered before but I'm going to ask anyway..
I've had a scout round the fields In my area and there is a field of OSR 0.7 mile drive away so slightly closer as the bee flies. I live on the edge of a small village and the bees would have to fly over gardens to get to it so...
I guess they will find it when it's ready but will they just collect this?
If they mix with other nectar to make honey will I get a good quality honey?

There looks to be other sources in and around the area

Simon

Piss take..

 

[thorn]

Piss take..

Why do you think this? Not everyone has your knowledge and experience. Questions which seem foolish to you can be genuine. Don’t put off, and put down, less experienced beekeepers.

 

[Finman]

.
Osr is very important source of honey, but surely that time the village has many other honey plants.

When I have kept my hives on limitless **** fields, bees have in genes that they must get many other frowers af same time. They fly long distances to find other flower sources.

I have hunted 40 years **** honey, but I still do not know, how much it actually came from ****. It is however good basic honey.

Lets hope that you a good flavour mixture.
.

 

[oliver90owner]

I guess they will find it when it's ready but will they just collect this?

Yes and no.

They will find but will not collect it exclusively. But what gets stored is what you will find. Did you think 10% of other nectars would make much difference?

Remember that the honey produced is only the surplus at that particular time.

 

[peteinwilts]

the presence of OSR does not necessarily mean honey. Some of the hybrids produce very little.

Also in dry weather they may prefer to collect from more deep rooted plants.

I have performed pollination projects for OSR for Reading University. One year was dry and hot, year two was cold and damp. They pollinated plenty, but had little honey from either year.
When OSR was in flower, they were just as happy to collect pollen from trees on the opposite side of the OSR.

I have other bees with another farmer. They collect honey, but never huge amounts.

 

[Finman]

. Did you think 10% of other nectars would make much difference?.

10% is just thinking. No one knows where they forage. And thinking does not change anything.

You may do a mixture later, .... What you have...

To me first question is, how many other colonies forage on that field? Couple on times I have had so much bumble bees, that they harvested all.
.
What ever happens, OSR is good to bees. One of the best bee plants.

 

[Plenty of honey]

10% is just thinking. No one knows where they forage. And thinking does not change anything.



You may do a mixture later, .... What you have...



To me first question is, how many other colonies forage on that field? Couple on times I have had so much bumble bees, that they harvested all.

.

What ever happens, OSR is good to bees. One of the best bee plants.

Previous quote "Osr is very important source of honey, but surely that time the village has many other honey plants.

When I have kept my hives on limitless **** fields, bees have in genes that they must get many other frowers af same time. They fly long distances to find other flower sources.

I have hunted 40 years **** honey, but I still do not know, how much it actually came from ****. It is however good basic honey.

Lets hope that you a good flavour mixture."



Completely agree Finman, this pollen pic was taken 20 meters from a huge field of OSR! Proof for me bees know best! It also shows the diversity of pollens versus the quantity! Only small amounts of OSR pollen collected!They know what’s the best!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ianorsven]

My bees are close to osr fields but are also surrounded by cottage gardens, some orchards and other sources of nectar. Occasionally I take honey which is mainly from osr with all the associated characteristics. More often, the honey I take in early June is fast setting but more floral in scent and flavour - a more complex taste if you like. I assume this is because of the range of nectar sources available (not just osr). So, the quality of your honey would be improved I would suggest from the scenario you describe.

BTW many of my customers ask specifically for the early fast setting honey. There is no smell of cabbages but I would say it is definitely blander than my late summer (main crop) honey.

 

[Poly Hive]

A smell of cabbages on opening the jar?

Really?

If I said my personal experience of some 10 tons of **** honey never included the honey smelling of anything other than a mild honey scent change anyones mind?

No because they are convinced it is so because they passed a field in flower that had that scent and so so must the honey whether that is bollocks or not.

PH

 

[Finman]

A smell of cabbages on opening the jar?

Really?

If I said my personal experience of some 10 tons of **** honey never included the honey smelling of anything other than a mild honey scent change anyones mind?


PH

Same with me. **** gives into the honey mixture a thick basic flavor.
But it is not cabbage.

And in good weather it gives 60 kg honey per hive. Sometimes nothing.

No regrets.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A smell of cabbages on opening the jar?

Really?

If I said my personal experience of some 10 tons of **** honey never included the honey smelling of anything other than a mild honey scent change anyones mind?

No because they are convinced it is so because they passed a field in flower that had that scent and so so must the honey whether that is bollocks or not.

PH

Because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean others can’t. PTC tasters for a start and there are plenty of those. I have a huge Mahonia in the garden and to me the scent is overpowering. My husband,on the other hand, can’t smell a thing. He can smell bluebells but I can’t. To me OSR smells and tastes like cabbage.

 

[Beefriendly]

I get slight brassica scent in my OSR honey but non of HM's baby vomit.
Perhaps all these differences in smell and taste could be caused by the different varieties of OSR that are grown plus local conditions affecting the composition of the nectar?

 

[Poly Hive]

Could well be but as I say personally never encountered it.

My abiding memory is a large bearded gent slurping down 3/4 of a pound jar of creamed OSR all the while informing me how lovely the honey was and how he hated the smell of OSR and how rubbish the honey was....... Uh huh.

PH

 

[Heather]

Millet....Politeness is the flower of humanity. (your own words) Do as you would be done to...

They will go to OSR if near as easy source, just be aware it cannot be left on the hive long or you will chisel out.. but, yes, newer strain of OSR doesn't produce the same amount of nectar. More manipulation on strains of crops.

 

[Millet]

Why do you think this? Not everyone has your knowledge and experience. Questions which seem foolish to you can be genuine. Don’t put off, and put down, less experienced beekeepers.

He reminds me of a forum member with many user names..i may be wrong but there you have it..

 

[Brian Bush]

He reminds me of a forum member with many user names..i may be wrong but there you have it..

Millet why do you not take note of your own tag line?

 

[Finman]

He reminds me of a forum member with many user names....

Oh dear! Now I am afraid too!

.