city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Harlem, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi S); canola (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Harlem?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Harlem, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, 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 3,288 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms early May – 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 Harlem
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi N.
How Harlem ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 40th | 84th | 63rd |
| Montana | 88th | 90th | 91st | 13th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 57th | 85th | 60th | 19th |
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 Harlem: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Harlem Colony 4 mi · Fort Belknap Agency 9 mi · Zurich 12 mi · Chinook 21 mi · Turner Colony 23 mi · Hogeland 23 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 Harlem (48.5319, -108.7847); 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.