Spring is definitely in the air (well, when the clouds get out of the way). This means the bees larder of nectar-hunting opportunities has become much more succulent. It’s the equivalent of shopping for-frozen-fishfingers-at-Farmfoods in February to middle-class-manchego-buying-at-Waitrose in May.
So the bees are smugly stuffing their faces now – but they aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the sweet smell of spring! Yes, it’s time to go ‘native’, pretend we’re Bear Gryls and get out FORAGING again. This is not only a chance to scoff free food but an opportunity to shred the office uniform, be at one with nature and look cool in front of your wife with your obvious manliness.
Yes, foraging might be about walking through woods and hunting out flowers but this is no Timotei advert. It’s blooming DANGEROUS! There’s no sell-by-date on these plants. A tasty looking blossom could easily turn you into a vomiting-Exorcist-impressionist. But hey ho, it’s fun!!!
One of my favourite forage foods is wild garlic which is in blossom with white flowers right now.
The flower is edible too – making great salad decoration and the opportunity to impress friends and readers of this blog with my daring (though I doubt you would see this as one of the items you have to eat on a bushtucker trial in “I’m a celebrity … get me out of here”)!
Wild Garlic Pesto Recipe
- 1 large bunch of wild garlic, washed
- 60gms pine nuts, toasted (cashew nuts are cheaper)
- 60gms parmesan cheese (other Italian hard cheeses are cheaper)
- 150mls olive oil
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Pepper
Method: Place all the ingredients into a food processor, except the olive oil, and mix for a couple of minutes then pour in the olive oil and mix again.
Eat with pasta and add single cream! Delicious.
Honeybees On Apple Blossom
And here’s one of my honeybees on another Spring flower.
Read More
- Where we are in the Beekeeping Calendar
- Key beekeeping activities of the moment: Varroa Management / Feeding / Swarm Management / Catching A Swarm
- Related post: Is foraging the answer to regaining my sanity?
- One year ago in the apiary: Life Without Bees
- Two years ago in the apiary: Smoking The Hive And More To Worry About
- Hive Record Cards: Hive Two, Hive Three, Poly Nuc
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