city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Tolna, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Tolna?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, sunflower)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tolna, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, sunflower, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, sunflower; 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 2,258 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 207 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 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 Tolna
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern Tallgrass Prairie; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.53 mi N.
How Tolna ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 54th | 91st | 100th |
| North Dakota | 69th | 96th | 49th | 93rd |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 65th | 92nd | 22nd | 95th |
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 Tolna: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pekin 6 mi · Warwick 13 mi · McVille 13 mi · Lakota 16 mi · McHenry 19 mi · Binford 19 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 Tolna (47.8257, -98.4382); 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.