city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Bloomfield, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bloomfield?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bloomfield, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 657 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 508 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Bloomfield
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.43 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bloomfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 86th | 86th | 63rd |
| Iowa | 39th | 99th | 13th | 94th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 67th | 70th | 51st | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Bloomfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Drakesville 5 mi · Pulaski 8 mi · Floris 9 mi · Moulton 14 mi · Milton 14 mi · Unionville 15 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Bloomfield (40.7491, -92.417); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.