community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Hinsdale, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 1.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hinsdale?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hinsdale, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 608 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 Hinsdale
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Alfalfa; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.03 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi E.
How Hinsdale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 43rd | 77th | 63rd |
| Montana | 79th | 94th | 75th | 13th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 48th | 89th | 47th | 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 Hinsdale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Saco 12 mi · Sleeping Buffalo 21 mi · East Malta Colony 24 mi · Glasgow 25 mi · St. Marie 27 mi · Whitewater 35 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 Hinsdale (48.4048, -107.0869); 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.