community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Hartland Colony, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: lentils (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hartland Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (mustard, lentils, peas)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hartland Colony, 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): peas, mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): mustard, lentils, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): mustard, peas, lentils, 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
- Lentils: about 213 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 143 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 600 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Hartland Colony
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Unmapped.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi NE.
How Hartland Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 19th | 83rd | 80th |
| Montana | 83rd | 29th | 89th | 39th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 52nd | 27th | 60th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Hartland Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East End Colony 15 mi · Hilldale Colony 18 mi · Chinook 27 mi · Havre North 29 mi · Havre 30 mi · West Havre 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 Hartland Colony (48.952, -109.4483); 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.