Cover Crops as Bee Forage

Cover Crops as Bee Forage

Many cover crops that are planted specifically for their soil-enriching qualities can double as bee forage. We decided that a cover crop would be beneficial in our area for the bees in spring. My experience has been that in the rural areas of Napa Valley, since it is such a monoculture, beekeepers have to be very aware of what they are offering their bees as forage ALL year round. It’s an interesting conundrum that the bees in the rural area are staving and the bees in the city limits are fairing much better, yet legislation in the Napa city limits prohibits keeping bees. Because of this we are talking with Napa City Councilmember Peter Mott about revisiting the bee ordinance to be a little more akin to the changing local landscape. Inthemeantme Peter White and I have been working very diligently towards providing the bees at the College Ave. apiary a steady yearlong varied pollen and nectar source. We planted a nitrogen rich bee friendly 2 acre crop directly around the bees including: Hairy and Common Vetch,  Field Peas, Buckwheat, and Rye surrounded by a band of Strawberry, White, Yellow, Purple Prairee Clover. The cover crop has been sewn for about a month now and it looks fabulous. Luckily we got the ground prepped and the seeds in just before the first rains and there has been a steady rainfall since. 

                                                                   Before

                                                                      After

Field Peas

Field Peas

Field Peas

Me on my knees with the bees and the peas

             

                         Peter White                                    Peter Mott

                                                A pair of Petes

   

 

 

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