town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Alpena, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Alpena?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alpena, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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, alfalfa, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 164 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 364 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Alpena
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi SW.
How Alpena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 65th | 91st | 80th |
| South Dakota | 79th | 99th | 65th | 37th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 38th | 97th | 18th | 23rd |
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 Alpena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Virgil 8 mi · Lane 8 mi · Woonsocket 10 mi · Wessington Springs 12 mi · Huron 15 mi · Morningside 16 mi
All towns in South 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 Alpena (44.1834, -98.3684); 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.