community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Fair Haven Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: chickpeas (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); camelina (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fair Haven Colony?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking early 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 Fair Haven 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, chick Peas, lentils; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), chick Peas; extra 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
- Chickpeas: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Lentils: about 78 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Camelina: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late 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 Fair Haven Colony
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SE.
How Fair Haven Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 35th | 65th | 69th |
| Montana | 53rd | 84th | 52nd | 20th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 29th | 76th | 28th | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Fair Haven Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ulm 5 mi · Cascade Colony 9 mi · Cascade 9 mi · Sun River 10 mi · Vaughn 11 mi · Fort Shaw 11 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 Fair Haven Colony (47.4041, -111.6294); 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.