city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Sanborn, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Sanborn?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sanborn, 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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 12,302 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,929 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, 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 Sanborn
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.15 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi E.
How Sanborn ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 42nd | 96th | 56th |
| Iowa | 93rd | 66th | 62nd | 83rd |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 91st | 77th | 58th | 76th |
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 Sanborn: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Archer 6 mi · Primghar 7 mi · Melvin 8 mi · Hartley 9 mi · Sheldon 9 mi · Ashton 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 Sanborn (43.1814, -95.6553); 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.