village in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Helena, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in spring (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Helena?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Helena, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 13,874 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,425 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jun – 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 Helena
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.31 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi SE.
How Helena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 29th | 98th | 19th |
| Ohio | 86th | 17th | 86th | 20th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 84th | 41st | 80th | 18th |
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 Helena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gibsonburg 4 mi · Hessville 5 mi · Burgoon 5 mi · Kansas 7 mi · Lindsey 7 mi · Bettsville 7 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 Helena (41.3403, -83.2919); 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.