town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Altamont, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Altamont?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Altamont, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 236 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 201 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jul – 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 Altamont
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi N.
How Altamont ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 49th | 86th | 91st |
| South Dakota | 58th | 90th | 54th | 72nd |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 5th | 88th | 5th | 41st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Altamont: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clear Lake 6 mi · Goodwin 8 mi · Kranzburg 11 mi · Gary 12 mi · Brandt 12 mi · Revillo 13 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 Altamont (44.8408, -96.6902); 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.