Honey Bee Herbalists

  

Honey Bee Herbalists
Author Margaret Tucker

Honey Bees (Apis) are the most knowledgeable herbalists I know. They know which herbs offer the best nutrition and health benefits and which ones to ignore. Watching honey bees forage among your herbs can offer insight into which ones you need to gather for your own use. For thousands of years honey bees have been foraging plants to help them survive. Mankind has been studying them as far back as the cave dwellers and learning from them what to try themselves. The herbs used at Carob's Farm are all honey bee plants. The bees gather nectar and pollen and the health benefits each herb offers.
      Some of the plants are more favored than others. (Borago officinalis) AKA Borage, Starflower and Bee plant is one of the favored plants of the Honey Bee and some of us humans love the plant as well. Borago Officinalis offers nectar and pollen to the honey bees which produces a light amber
 honey and is said to improve their ability to make honey. For humans borage is either loved or hated. It is loved for it's bright blue or white flowers and makes some people feel happy just looking at it. Some people hate it because it has prickly hairs that scratch tender skin and spreads easily if not kept deadheaded. Borage has many medicinal qualities that make it a great addition to the herbal medicine cabinet. Borage can be used for conditions such as acne and arthritis. Mix tablespoon of Borage leaves and flowers in a bit of bath salts to use in your next relaxing bath or in a face cream for wrinkles. The flowers, leaves and oil produced from the seeds are used medicinally. The flowers and leaves can be eaten in salads. It has a light cucumber flavor that most people find pleasant.
Borage is also an excellent choice of companion plant for tomatoes, strawberries and several other favorite backyard garden plants. According to ancient herbalists borage is said to “make one merry and ease sorrow”. Perhaps this is why honey bees forage this plant and are able to produce more honey.
 “A merry heart surely aids productivity.” Margaret Tucker