>...it crystallizes very quickly, often in the comb before the supers are  
taken to the extractor.  Does this not make it a poor winter food for  
the cluster.

This is what happens with honey from oilseed rape in this country.  Need to
extract as the fields return to green or it sets solid.  Often the bees put
some in the supers early, then a cold night causes them to cluster  and
leave the honey which starts to set.  That then seeds any more that is added
to those cells.

Some use starter strips in the supers, let it set, then chop the honey out
in the winter and melt it out.

Yes, it's a poor winter food.  When it granulates the glucose comes out of
solution to form a lattice structure of glucose crystals.  The fructose
remains in solution within this structure - but of course the water content
is then higher.  The bees suck out the fructose solution leaving dry, hard
glucose crystals which are then often thrown out in the following spring.

Best wishes

Peter

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