Hi Geoff, Trevor and All

>   A few years back we suddenly got some honey from them for a year or so. 
> Querying the farmer it turned out he had changed the variety of soya bean 
> he was growing.

Soybeans have only been grown on PEI for about 20 years.  It was not
until they had a very short season variety in Ontario that they started.
The strains here (mostly descended from Maple Arrow) never yielded
any honey.  I could not find any bees even in full bloom.  Yet I saw
a variety of honey listed in the US called soybean honey (US HOney
Board Reports).    The varieties here were all for animal feed.

Two years ago, one large farmer here got a market in Japan for
beans for tofu.  The bees work that variety.  Not a big thing for
them, but I see bees in it, and I see honey coming in.

Juanse mentioned that the acreage now being devoted to soybeans
in Argentina is a major problem for beekeepers there, so I don't
think it is much of a honey source there.  But I agree, the variety
grown must be of importance to the bees.

Similarly, of the two main types of buckwheat, tartarian and
silver hulled, one is much better as a honey source.  I used to know
which, but too many brain cells have shut down.

Stan

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