city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Hillsboro, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hillsboro?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hillsboro, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dry Beans; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 3,316 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 120 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Hillsboro
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.31 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.35 mi NE.
How Hillsboro ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 50th | 90th | 97th |
| North Dakota | 51st | 94th | 43rd | 51st |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 48th | 90th | 31st | 38th |
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 Hillsboro: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blanchard 9 mi · Caledonia 9 mi · Grandin 12 mi · Buxton 14 mi · Mayville 14 mi · Portland 16 mi
All towns in North Dakota · National map · How the scoring works
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 Hillsboro (47.403, -97.0635); 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.