Chapter 105: Xiao Zi's Genius Plan
"What's the idea?"
"Creating a method for making new-flavored honey!"
Xiao Zi excitedly exclaimed, "Right now, we only plant one type of flower in a field, resulting in honey with a single flavor. But what if we plant two or more types of flowers in one field? The bees would collect nectar from different flowers, and the honey produced would definitely have a different taste!"
Xiao Zi looked forward with anticipation, "I wonder what kind of honey we could brew using this method."
"..."
Don't say anything.
Really, don't say anything.
This was indeed a novel idea.
He had underestimated her.
He thought the little foodie couldn't come up with anything beyond her cravings, but she actually had some creative thoughts.
This plan had crossed Huami's mind as well, being a professional beekeeper. However, with new honey sources like Moon Dream Flower, Feathered Robe Flower, Thunderstrike Flower, and Bestowal Flower appearing, his focus had been on cultivating these individual flowers.
Managing that alone kept him quite busy, and he hadn't yet considered mixed planting. Compared to cultivating individual flowers, the latter was more challenging, requiring higher expertise in cultivation techniques and environmental conditions.
Moreover, the limited variety of flowers on hand posed an obstacle. Different flowers had different growth environments, and their nectar flow periods didn't synchronize.
So, the idea of mixed planting had been put on hold.
Xiao Zi's suggestion was essentially what beekeepers referred to as "mixed nectar collection." In the beekeeping industry, many beekeepers took their hives to various nectar sources, a practice known as migratory beekeeping.
There were two types of nectar sources: mixed and single.
A single nectar source didn't necessarily mean only one type of flower in a radius of hundreds of miles. As long as one type of flower dominated, bees tended to collect nectar exclusively from that dominant flower, resulting in single-flower honey.
In contrast, if the nectar source comprised several flower types with no clear dominance, and bees couldn't meet their needs by collecting from just one, they would gather nectar from multiple flowers, producing what was called multi-flower honey.
Multi-flower honey had a distinct taste, often with finer crystalline particles compared to single-flower honey.
It wasn't easy to declare which was better or more nutritious; each had its merits, influenced by factors such as flower types, growing environments, and production processes.
Huami had previously experimented by directly mixing two types of honey, like simultaneously consuming a Thunderstrike Flower honey pill and a Bestowal Flower honey pill. The conclusion was that the two honeys didn't interfere with each other, producing no magical effects. They functioned normally, each exhibiting its own effects.
However, if the mixing occurred during the honey collection period, processed through the magical transformation by the bees, it would likely result in an entirely new honey.
A new flavor and, perhaps, new effects!
Xiao Zi proposed this idea more likely from the perspective of exploring new honey flavors. Meanwhile, Huami considered that collecting nectar from two or more types of flowers would also lead to honey with effects different from single-flower honey.
In such a scenario, one plus one clearly didn't equal two.
It was akin to bee hybridization, a form of honey hybridization.
If there were flowers with synchronized nectar periods, it might be worth considering creating a dedicated mixed flower field.
To achieve this, synchronization of nectar periods was a necessary condition.
His greenhouse could simulate various environments, but making different flowers bloom simultaneously in the same area was challengingmore so than cultivating individual flowers.
Additionally, the limited variety of flowers on hand and their differing growth environments made it difficult to synchronize nectar flows.
So, mixed planting had yet to be put into practice.
"Good idea, very innovative," Huami nodded, praising her.
"Hehe."
With Huami's approval, Xiao Zi stood proudly, quite pleased with herself.
"But, this can't be realized immediately. If you can't wait and want to taste new-flavored honey, you can settle for something else." Huami pointed to several honey jars on the shelf, jokingly saying, "For example, you can take a bite of each, let them mix in your mouth by stirring with your tongue. It's a low-budget version of multi-flower honey, not as good as the real thing, but it can satisfy your cravings temporarily."
Unexpectedly, Xiao Zi's face drooped, and she murmured dispiritedly, "I've already done that... I've tasted the mix of these honey flavors, and it's not as good as just having one flavor."
"..."
He had underestimated the creativity and initiative of a foodie.
However, thanks to Xiao Zi's reminder, he realized that it was indeed time to seriously consider mixed planting.
With farming and beekeeping gradually settling into a routine, he now had the bandwidth.
The first thing to consider was the source of seeds.
Black Stone Town was a mining town with underdeveloped agriculture. Even buying grain seeds at this time was difficult, let alone flower seeds.
During his last visit to Black Stone Town, he found nothing related to flowers.
Buying flower seeds was impossible in Black Stone Town.
Going further was too troublesome.
It would be best to use local resources.
Huami thought for a moment and asked, "Are there any plants in the Black Forest with flowering periods similar to Moon Dream Flower, Feathered Robe Flower, or Thunderstrike Flower?"
Considering the harsh weather, most plants were likely to have withered by now.
Finding a blooming flower, especially, would be incredibly challenging.
However, the main focus wasn't the flower but the seeds.
...
After the last batch of honey was collected, the greenhouse entered a new growth cycle.
The Bestowal Flower field didn't need attention; under the magical influence of the small flower spirits, it wouldn't deteriorate. After some time, it would reenter the nectar flow periodfully automated.
The small flower spirits also told him that Bestowal Flowers liked pure fire elements.
Placing some fire attribute items in the field would enhance the growth and quality of Bestowal Flowers. The most noticeable effect was an increase in honey production.
As for fire attribute items... perhaps fire seeds?
Even if he were the Swordsman of Brassburg, he couldn't take those away. Those were essential for the Fire Servitors.
So, Huami settled for placing a well-seasoned ancestral frying pan in the flower field.
The pan's bottom was pitch-black.
As for the Thunderstrike Flower field, it needed to be replanted, no need to mention.
Next, Huami planned to double the size of the greenhouse.
He intended to allocate a section for mixed planting.
After chatting with the pseudo-flower spirits, he learned that there were flowers in the Black Forest that bloomed around the same time as the Moon Dream Flower, named the "Thousand Mirage Flower." It was likely that their nectar flow periods would align with the Feathered Robe Flower.
Moreover, the pseudo-flower spirits knew of a modest-sized grove of Thousand Mirage Flowers.
By now, that grove had probably withered.
However, the seeds had already scattered around.
Huami decided to include the Thousand Mirage Flower in the flower seed reserve as the next breeding target.
The soon-to-be-expanded area in the greenhouse would be divided into two parts.
One part would be a dedicated field for Thousand Mirage Flowers.
The other part would be a mixed field for Thousand Mirage Flowers and Feathered Robe Flowers.
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