city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Emmetsburg, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Emmetsburg?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Emmetsburg, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, 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, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 1,999 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 285 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late 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 Emmetsburg
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi NW; open water 0.07 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Emmetsburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 65th | 88th | 65th |
| Iowa | 25th | 86th | 18th | 96th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 17th | 93rd | 10th | 88th |
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 Emmetsburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cylinder 7 mi · Graettinger 9 mi · Ayrshire 9 mi · Curlew 10 mi · Rodman 10 mi · Ruthven 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 Emmetsburg (43.1148, -94.6796); 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.