Guilfordbeekeepers.org

Last Fall Peter Ashe brought me some crimson clover seed to plant in one of my vegetable garden areas as a cover and to add nutrients to the soil. It is also know as "green manure." It is now starting to bloom and the honeybees are really working it. I will let it complete blooming since it is not a long lasting nectar source and then will till it under and plant warm weather vegetables. Thanks Pete.

This is a "rest of the story" post and a test of Wally's tweeking to allow forum board use through AOL. The crimson clover was heavily worked by the honeybees and the blooms had dried up by about May 10th. I collected seed for planting in late summer, cut and tilled the clover in and have since planted corn and squash in this area.

Wally, your adjustments appear to be working since I can now post using AOL to get to our site.

I have continued collecting seed from the crimson clover and spreading it in the garden in late summer/early fall. Every thing is early this spring, but I was really surprised this afternoon to see that some of the crimson clover has started to bloom.

Obviously we are in for some honey flow surprises this year.
Several of my hives are making quanities of honey in the brood area and one of my hives is drawing comb and storing the surplus honey.
I just hope we dont miss the flow this season. I may be supering up earlier than usual.

The crimson clover is late this year. It is not nearly as tall as usual, and today is the first day it has mature enough blooms to attract bees in large numbers. Bees are also rocketing out and coming back heavy from other locations. I pulled 18 medium frames (some not used over winter, no doubt) and extracted them Sunday. Others were close to being capped with new, white wax. I'll be checking as soon as time and weather permits. I added a 3rd box with undrawn frames to a 2 super medium nuc yesterday afternoon. The crackling of bees drawing wax sounds like old time radio interference when I put my ear to the side of the box.

Another bee-friendly cover crop I plant throughout the warm months is buckwheat. Just 30 days from seed to blooms. After it blooms, I either let it re-seed itself or turn it under and then plant other vegetables or just sew some more buckwheat. Last year I had bees foraging buckwheat somewhere on my lot from May up until frost. Seems like they prefer to work it mid-morning.

Paul

David and I had buckwheat planted in the pasture where our McLeansville bees forage. A pretty bloom with an "interesting" aroma.

Yep, I've heard buckwheat honey isn't very tasty, but it's high in antioxidants and great for the bees.

Paul