community in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Rockford, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 7% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it ranks highest in spring (49th percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi S); canola (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rockford?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockford, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 1,180 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi N, blooms early Jul – 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 Rockford
Mostly: Alfalfa; Winter Wheat; Spring Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.37 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.44 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 75% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Rockford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 13th | 22nd | 41st | 37th |
| Idaho | 7th | 49th | 12th | 6th |
| Snake River Plain | 10th | 40th | 20th | 4th |
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 Rockford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riverside 5 mi · Moreland 5 mi · Groveland 8 mi · Blackfoot 9 mi · Fort Hall 13 mi · Tyhee 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 Rockford (43.1892, -112.5306); 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.