city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Ossian, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (73rd percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi N); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ossian?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ossian, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 20,462 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 792 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Ossian
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.64 mi NE.
How Ossian ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 40th | 89th | 50th |
| Iowa | 10th | 64th | 21st | 73rd |
| Driftless Area | 66th | 22nd | 76th | 7th |
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 Ossian: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Castalia 5 mi · Calmar 6 mi · Fort Atkinson 9 mi · St. Lucas 10 mi · Spillville 10 mi · Decorah 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 Ossian (43.147, -91.7646); 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.