Propolis

bees, honey and other sticky subjects

Sunday, July 31, 2005

A bee feast


A field of borage much loved by bees that has just been cut for green manure. Lots of bumblebees were still working the cut flowers. This field photographed today in Berkshire, England is probably “set-aside” (see update) -- encouraging farmers to grow non-productive crops for the benefit of the environment and to avoid certain crop surpluses. Posted by Picasa

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice photo. Idle questions...
Do honeybees like borage? If so, do any of borages's medicinal properties transer to the honey?

1:58 pm  
Blogger Turlough said...

Honeybees love borage. Plants and Beekeeping by FN Howes published in 1945 says that there is some dispute over what borage honey tastes like. But now that complete fields are sometimes planted up, I've heard beefarmers speak very highly of borage honey, saying that it is a delicate, low viscosity honey that takes a long time to crystallize (but I think it can sometimes be lowish on sugar content too).

I've not heard any claims about its medicinal properties.

2:38 pm  

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