city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Conrad, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Conrad?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Conrad, 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 22.
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, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Canola: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 113 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 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 Conrad
Mostly: Fallow / idle cropland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.57 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Conrad ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 50th | 82nd | 83rd |
| Montana | 93rd | 96th | 87th | 48th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 63rd | 93rd | 58th | 51st |
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 Conrad: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Midway Colony 8 mi · Brady 11 mi · New Miami Colony 15 mi · Valier 17 mi · Pendroy 18 mi · Camrose Colony 18 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 Conrad (48.1741, -111.9466); 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.