community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Fort Smith, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Smith?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Smith, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), canola; white, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 675 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 594 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 361 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jun (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 Fort Smith
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains-Black Hills Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SW.
How Fort Smith ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 42nd | 71st | 70th |
| Montana | 68th | 92nd | 62nd | 20th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 72nd | 93rd | 73rd | 7th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Fort Smith: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Xavier 14 mi · Lodge Grass 28 mi · Forty Mile Colony 28 mi · Pryor 30 mi · Crow Agency 30 mi · Wyola 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 Fort Smith (45.3171, -107.9351); 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.