city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Rockland, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); safflower (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rockland?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockland, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March 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
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 832 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Safflower: about 322 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late 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 Rockland
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi NW.
How Rockland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 40th | 84th | 78th |
| Idaho | 86th | 74th | 89th | 51st |
| Northern Basin and Range | 99th | 94th | 99th | 33rd |
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 Rockland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
American Falls 15 mi · Aberdeen 26 mi · Arbon Valley 26 mi · Pocatello 29 mi · Malta 31 mi · Chubbuck 32 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 Rockland (42.5733, -112.8745); 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.