community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Harrison, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Montana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Montana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Harrison?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Harrison, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, peas, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 206 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 43 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 3 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 Harrison
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi SE.
How Harrison ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 55th | 87th | 98th |
| Montana | 98th | 98th | 96th | 93rd |
| Middle Rockies | 99th | 98th | 99th | 92nd |
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 Harrison: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pony 6 mi · Willow Creek 10 mi · Norris 10 mi · Mammoth 12 mi · Cardwell 14 mi · Three Forks 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 Harrison (45.7044, -111.7844); 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.