Dear friends and family;
Last week it was a lovely Sunday morning, no jacket required, so I went for a walk with Bear along the river to see what the bees are eating. I already know they prefer the humble dandelion to the lovely lilac, which they don’t touch. So I was curious.
I passed a very fragrant purple phlox – no bees. Pretty little yellow rock flowers – nope. Lush purple lupine – no, but huge gorgeous bumble bees were all over it, pushing their big heads inside for a drink. Tall weeds with large crowns of little white flowers – only ants on that one. I saw butterflies on some, tiny wasps on others, dragonflies zipping around so fast, I couldn’t tell what they like. My bees went only for the lovely blue cornflowers, which fortunately are in abundance right now. So they have food and that makes me very happy. We will have honey after all.
I have had to feed my bees so much this wet, cold spring to prevent them from starving. I’d like to know what they eat so I can plant for them, too.
All week, I’ve been observing and trying to figure the bees out. They don’t like poppies, irises, pansies, peonies, daisies or any other showy flowers. However, they love chive flowers and kale flowers and of course raspberries, apples, etc. Then it hit me. Bees like their fruits and veggies! And guess what that means for us? They pollinate what we humans need for survival. If that isn’t marvelous, I don’t know what is. I am totally in awe of bees. What an amazing partnership we have with them.
Well, I hope you are all well. Sending you lots of love from the farm.
Love, Fern and Ray.
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