community in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Trenton, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 38% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Trenton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Trenton, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 3,984 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,461 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Trenton
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi E.
How Trenton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 46th | 92nd | 38th |
| Iowa | 38th | 70th | 34th | 58th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 30th | 80th | 25th | 53rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Trenton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Swedesburg 5 mi · Wayland 6 mi · Rome 6 mi · Olds 7 mi · Westwood 7 mi · Lockridge 8 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 Trenton (41.066, -91.6395); 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.