community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Cascade Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cascade Colony?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cascade Colony, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, peas, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 263 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Cascade Colony
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; open water 0.3 mi S.
How Cascade Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 42nd | 29th | 69th | 84th |
| Montana | 62nd | 67th | 59th | 49th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 35th | 59th | 34th | 52nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Cascade Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Shaw 4 mi · Simms 7 mi · Sun River 8 mi · Fair Haven Colony 9 mi · Cascade 13 mi · Ulm 14 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 Cascade Colony (47.441, -111.8178); 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.