city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in New Meadows, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Idaho. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Idaho sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in New Meadows?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Meadows, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi N, blooms early Aug – late 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 New Meadows
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi NW.
How New Meadows ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 81st | 88th | 99th |
| Idaho | 100th | 99th | 99th | 97th |
| Idaho Batholith | 100th | 100th | 99th | 90th |
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 New Meadows: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McCall 9 mi · Council 18 mi · Donnelly 19 mi · Riggins 31 mi · Cambridge 34 mi · Cascade 34 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 New Meadows (44.9713, -116.2852); 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.