December 21, 2022

Apiculture - noun


Definition: Also called beekeeping, the practice of breeding bees and maintaining colonies to produce honey and other byproducts.

Apiculture in the Forest Garden:

As farmers establish their Forest Garden, they revitalize their land in more ways than one. Over time and as the garden grows, flora and fauna from neighboring areas are naturally attracted to the vegetative oasis. One of the species some farmers look to attract is bees. By engaging in apiculture, Forest Gardeners can harness the essential benefits of these pollinators, while producing lucrative honey to eat and sell. 

Many of the trees that farmers plant in their Forest Gardens produce valuable bee forage. One of the many useful trees for attracting bees for apiculture is Faidherbia albida. While most trees will flower during the rainy season, F. albida waits until the end of the season, when it will be the main supplier of nectar and pollen, and an important source of bee forage. 

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