Will Rotational Cutting of Clover Increase the Quantity and Quality of Honey in a Specific Habitat?

View the project final report

• 1998 annual report

Commodities

• Agronomic: grass (misc. perennial), hay
• Animals: bees

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing - rotational, feed/forage
• Education and Training: demonstration

Habitat enhancement can have a positive impact on honeybee populations and honey production.

Objective: To demonstrate that rotational cutting of the habitat will increase honeybee populations, create healthier bees and enhance quantity and quality of honey.

By rotational cutting, the coordinator hopes to provide a constant source of nectar for the entire season. Due to loss of lease on clover land, he changed plans and subsituted newly seeded alfalfa to conduct the project.

Results: The rotational cutting was not possible in 1999; therefore, the project was extended one year to gather data.