city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Palmer, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in summer (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Palmer?
- First forage: May 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Palmer, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 15,547 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 5,633 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late 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 Palmer
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 1.16 mi W; open water 1.48 mi SE.
Things to watch
- No mapped water within a mile. Plan to provide water. Small ponds, ditches, troughs and pools don't show on these maps.
How Palmer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 20th | 98th | 14th |
| Iowa | 95th | 43rd | 90th | 23rd |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 95th | 50th | 88th | 21st |
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 Palmer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pomeroy 7 mi · Manson 8 mi · Pocahontas 8 mi · Twin Lakes 10 mi · Gilmore City 11 mi · Jolley 12 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 Palmer (42.6301, -94.5985); 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.