city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Hamilton, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hamilton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- 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 Hamilton, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra 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 437 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 166 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Hamilton
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi SE.
How Hamilton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 62nd | 87th | 51st |
| Iowa | 14th | 84th | 14th | 75th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 24th | 23rd | 54th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Hamilton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lovilia 2 mi · Bussey 3 mi · Marysville 3 mi · Harvey 10 mi · Albia 11 mi · Leighton 13 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 Hamilton (41.1705, -92.9041); 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.