city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Holy Cross, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 16% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Holy Cross?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Holy Cross, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, 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, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 12,208 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 323 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 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 Holy Cross
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.37 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.5 mi N.
How Holy Cross ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 32nd | 91st | 47th |
| Iowa | 16th | 56th | 27th | 69th |
| Driftless Area | 78th | 13th | 85th | 6th |
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 Holy Cross: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Luxemburg 4 mi · North Buena Vista 5 mi · Rickardsville 6 mi · Bankston 7 mi · Balltown 7 mi · New Vienna 7 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 Holy Cross (42.6011, -90.9962); 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.