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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:17:45 -0400
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PLB wrote:

"I don't think you understand the magnitude of the almond industry."

Thanks for the photos. I have only seen ground level pictures before 
and, between the trees, the land appears to be a desert with apparently 
poor soil/gravel and no flowering plants, just a little grass here and 
there. What a missed opportunity!  A mixture of the right sort of 
flowering plants would provide a long term supply of pollen and nectar, 
enabling the growers to keep their own bees or enabling hired colonies 
to consume a range of pollen so they are more likely to leave in good 
health, meaning that the beekeepers will have lesser subsequent 
problems, meaning that there will be fewer losses, meaning that the 
almond grower won't have to pay such a high price next year, so it will 
pay for itself.

Clovers etc, besides providing bee-forage, also are nitrogen fixers, 
thus reducing the grower's need to add fertiliser.  Bigger plants, such 
as alfalfa, buckwheat etc could add a layer of compost to the soil 
which, besides, providing nutrition to bees and almonds, would also 
retain surface moisture, reducing the need for irrigation.

Chris



  

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