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Post by Todd Balsiger on Oct 6, 2004 21:38:35 GMT -7
This past weekend I went to a wedding in Moscow, Idaho. On the way there I noticed the yellow blooms on sagebrush. I also saw some hives.
Does sage bloom normally in late fall? Good honey?
Anyone know, like Rbees.
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Post by Bettis on Oct 7, 2004 13:37:14 GMT -7
Greetings,
You most likely saw Rabbitbrush, it supposedly does produce a surplus flow of a bitter honey. The pollen is also a good source for winter stores. I have not had the opportunity to place my bees for this plant, so no first hand experience. This months ABJ has an article on it.
Bettis
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Post by Todd Balsiger on Oct 8, 2004 20:54:46 GMT -7
Wow, I need to brush up on plant i.d. I remember learning about rabbitbrush but forgot about it. It's good browse for deer, I remember that.
But it sure looked like sage to me, and it was ubiquitous. I'll look into it. Thank you.
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Post by rbees on Oct 8, 2004 23:20:10 GMT -7
This past weekend I went to a wedding in Moscow, Idaho. On the way there I noticed the yellow blooms on sagebrush. I also saw some hives. Does sage bloom normally in late fall? Good honey? Anyone know, like Rbees. I would agree with Bettis that you're actually seeing Gray Rabbitbrush Do the flowers look like this: ![]() ghs.gresham.k12.or.us/science/ps/nature/basin/sun/shrub/ericameria/chrysonaus.jpg [/img] Big Sagebrush which is actually a member of the daisy family flower mid to late August, so I would expect with the dry weather it would flower even earlier. I bet Norm can tell you the quality of the honey  |
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Post by NormCounterman on Oct 9, 2004 19:50:37 GMT -7
 Well, now thats more like it! I'm encouraged to see that you can speak respectfully to your elders as one should, errorbizz. So just to celebrate your change of heart, I've got Alex typing up an old article that I saved on the arid floral plants. Normy 
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Post by rbees on Oct 9, 2004 23:20:54 GMT -7
Well, now thats more like it! I'm encouraged to see that you can speak respectfully to your elders as one should, errorbizz. Normy True to form ab-Normy fails to address the question... Are you John F. Kerry? Hey, How come abby-Normal has two stars? I guess it's all about the post count |
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Post by Todd Balsiger on Oct 10, 2004 9:32:34 GMT -7
The flowers were definitely yellow like this. But I was looking at the plants from a distance from a speeding car. I almost stopped to pick a sample. It must be rabbitbrush because you eliminated other possibilities. I can't overemphasize how ubiquitous it was -- it was everywhere, and by far the most dominant plant.
Now I've had the chance to look at "Nectar and Pollen Plants of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest". Yep, I think it was rabbit brush -- blooms August to early September, yellow flower, nectar and pollen, honey amber and crystallizes rapidly.
Sagebrush is similar but has a different look: Blooms summber to fall, yellow flower, pollen only.
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Post by NormCounterman on Oct 10, 2004 18:32:49 GMT -7
Gentleman Todd,  We specify the flows intended for honey production, and those for winter feed. Because we run Italians, the arid flows are often allowed to build weight. After that last outburst you may have read, I will direct Alex to email you a clipping that he is typing up on this. Keep up the good work! Normy |
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Well, now thats more like it! 
