town in Montana
Honey bee forage in Fairfield, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Fairfield?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- 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 Fairfield, 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): 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, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola; 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 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 126 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 5 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 Fairfield
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Barley; Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.37 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 43% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Fairfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 39th | 69th | 62nd |
| Montana | 63rd | 90th | 59th | 12th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 35th | 84th | 34th | 18th |
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 Fairfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Simms 9 mi · Fort Shaw 11 mi · Sun River 13 mi · Cascade Colony 14 mi · Power 15 mi · Choteau 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 Fairfield (47.6154, -111.9813); 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.