town in Montana
Honey bee forage in Fairview, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (83rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fairview?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fairview, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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
- Soybeans: about 413 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Fairview
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Alfalfa; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S.
How Fairview ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 48th | 82nd | 95th |
| Montana | 93rd | 95th | 86th | 83rd |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 91st | 97th | 88th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Fairview: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sidney 11 mi · Crane 21 mi · Bainville 22 mi · Fox Lake 29 mi · Culbertson 30 mi · Savage 31 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 Fairview (47.852, -104.0509); 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.