Actually, there's very little planted sweet clover in Montana.  There are
lots of alfalfa fields, and if we get a wet winter and its the right year
in the two-year cycle, the state turns yellow from (wild)yellow sweet
clover.  We have some tall white clover in isolated sports.  Spotted
knapweed is a major nectar source in western parts of the state.

Much of the Montana crop comes from alfalfa. And the big flows occur in the
areas where alfalfa is allowed to go to seed for seed production.

We get 3-4 cuttings of alfalfa for hay.  If the hay is cut at the first
sign of blossom, the protein content of the hay is better, but that
curtails the honey crop.  New, young farmers tend to cut right away.
Beekeepers like old timers ready to retire, large farms and ranches,
anything that will slow down how when and how fast the hay is cut.

Honey bees are not as efficient in pollinating alfalfa as leaf cutters.
They don't like getting smacked in the face and do a lot of nectar robbing
on alfalfa.  That said, I've hard evidence that enough honey bees can get
the job done - but you may want to throw out more hives than for typical
pollination.

Jerry


>Anyway, I always thought there were billions of acres of sweet clover planted
>out somewhere in the midwest, Montana and the like, and that it was used for
>hay. I guess this can't be right. Anyone want to straighten me out?
Jerry J. Bromenshenk
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http://www.umt.edu/biology/bees