soybeans, cotton?

[heaflaw]

My honey flow seems to be rapidly ending.  (Piedmont NC)  The hives have plenty of bees.  I have read that both soybeans and cotton produce large nectar flows around this time of year, but no farmer near me plants them.  Have any of you had experience with these or other crops?  How much acreage would be enough to produce honey for 15 hives?  I have an old garden area of about 1/2 an acre that I could plant in something next year.  Any suggestions on prolonging my flow? 

[doak]

You can plant buck wheat now, it will be blooming in about 3 to 4 weeks.
I don't know how many hives an acre of cotton or beans an acre will take. Just keep in mind the pesticides
and get with the farm operator about this part of it.
happy honeing,
doak

[Fannbee]

From the Al Beekeepers Association "Due to ethanol and biodiesel, farm crops are changing.    More farmers are growing Canola (Rape) for biodiesel, more corn for ethanol thus less cotton.    This is probably more of an advantage than disadvantage because most cotton no longer produces honey (some cotton fields do  but it is spotty.   In my opinion this is caused by genetic alteration of the cotton plant).    Canola (Rape) makes a very good, near water clear, honey but it does crystallize very fast - faster than cotton.    Soybeans may or may not make honey.   I find that the long season crop (bluish bloom) makes surplus honey while the short crop (white bloom) seldom does.   Short crop Soybeans normally follow winter wheat while long season Soybeans are planted about the same time as cotton."