city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Ashton, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ashton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashton, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, canola; 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
- Alfalfa: about 287 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (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 Ashton
Mostly: Barley; Alfalfa; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 54% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Ashton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 37th | 76th | 78th |
| Idaho | 60th | 72nd | 54th | 50th |
| Snake River Plain | 63rd | 65th | 66th | 42nd |
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 Ashton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Warm River 7 mi · Drummond 7 mi · St. Anthony 14 mi · Newdale 15 mi · Teton 17 mi · Parker 17 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 Ashton (44.0733, -111.4483); 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.