town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Brandt, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (80th percentile) and lowest in spring (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brandt?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Aug (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brandt, 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): dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 4,311 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,205 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Brandt
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi N.
How Brandt ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 21st | 94th | 92nd |
| South Dakota | 77th | 18th | 80th | 76th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 35th | 42nd | 47th | 42nd |
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 Brandt: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Toronto 7 mi · Clear Lake 7 mi · Astoria 8 mi · Gary 12 mi · Altamont 12 mi · Poinsett Colony 14 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 Brandt (44.6669, -96.6252); 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.