city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Jamestown, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Jamestown?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Jamestown, 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 20.
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, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 2,113 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 251 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, 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 Jamestown
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.46 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.53 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 90% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Jamestown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 66th | 87th | 97th |
| North Dakota | 47th | 99th | 33rd | 54th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 20th | 98th | 7th | 62nd |
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 Jamestown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spiritwood 10 mi · Ypsilanti 11 mi · Buchanan 13 mi · Spiritwood Lake 13 mi · Montpelier 15 mi · Cleveland 20 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 Jamestown (46.9059, -98.6936); 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.