city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Harlowton, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (83rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S); peas (nearest 2.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Harlowton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Harlowton, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 168 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi E, blooms late May – early 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 Harlowton
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi S.
How Harlowton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 58th | 80th | 96th |
| Montana | 95th | 98th | 83rd | 87th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 93rd | 99th | 86th | 89th |
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 Harlowton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springwater Colony 4 mi · Duncan Ranch Colony 9 mi · Twodot 11 mi · Shawmut 17 mi · Judith Gap 17 mi · Martinsdale Colony 21 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 Harlowton (46.4368, -109.8351); 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.