city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Bradgate, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 41% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bradgate?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bradgate, 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 May 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 4,441 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7,107 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Bradgate
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi SW.
How Bradgate ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 48th | 92nd | 47th |
| Iowa | 41st | 72nd | 34th | 69th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 32nd | 82nd | 24th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Bradgate: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gilmore City 5 mi · Rolfe 6 mi · Ottosen 7 mi · Rutland 7 mi · Bode 8 mi · West Bend 11 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 Bradgate (42.8032, -94.4206); 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.