city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Earlham, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Earlham?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Earlham, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 251 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 459 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, 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 Earlham
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.11 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi NE.
How Earlham ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 61st | 92nd | 53rd |
| Iowa | 63rd | 83rd | 35th | 79th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 56th | 90th | 25th | 71st |
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 Earlham: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dexter 6 mi · De Soto 7 mi · Redfield 8 mi · Diamondhead Lake 8 mi · Van Meter 9 mi · Adel 10 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 Earlham (41.4944, -94.1223); 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.