city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Mountain Home, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mountain Home?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mountain Home, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, 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, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, yellow starthistle; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 87 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Mountain Home
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Annual and Biennial Forbland; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Annual Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.42 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 88% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mountain Home ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 77th | 77th | 76th |
| Idaho | 94th | 99th | 56th | 47th |
| Snake River Plain | 91st | 97th | 67th | 39th |
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 Mountain Home: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mountain Home AFB 10 mi · Hammett 17 mi · Bruneau 19 mi · Grand View 22 mi · Glenns Ferry 23 mi · Robie Creek 40 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 Mountain Home (43.1316, -115.6973); 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.