Hi Dave (and all):  You wrote: (snip, snip)
 
> Unfortunately, buckwheat acreages are much reduced from previous years,
and >the new hybrid varities do not yield as much nectar as the old.
 
> The old varieties of buckwheat were some of the best honey producing
plants >that have ever been prized by beekeepers.
 
A fellow here in PEI grew about 20 acres of buckwheat and got some hives
from me for pollination.  They didn't seem to be working it very well (and
it was in the morning, I knew about that) although there were lots of
bumblebees and wasps in it.  So I didn't charge him, but he gave me a few
hundred pounds of seed and the next year I planted it (about 8 acres).  Same
thing happened: lots of bumbles and wasps, very few honeybees.  The first
year I could at least see quite a few combs of buckwheat honey (I love the
taste myself), the second year I did not even see much  buckwheat honey.
 
I wouldn't mind growing it again if I could get some of the seed of the old
varieties you mentioned.  Do you happen to know the names of them?  Do you
know where one might get them?
 
There is also supposed to be two sort of buckwheat families, tartarian and
silver-hulled.  But I know no more than that.
 
Would like more info before I plant another crop that the bees ignore!!
 
Regards, Stan