community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Cow Creek, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cow Creek?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cow Creek, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 1,723 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,021 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 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 Cow Creek
Mostly: Open water; Corn; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi SW.
How Cow Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 40th | 85th | 63rd |
| South Dakota | 51st | 76th | 52nd | 16th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 59th | 85th | 62nd | 19th |
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 Cow Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oahe Acres 8 mi · Fort Pierre 13 mi · Pierre 14 mi · Onida 22 mi · Blunt 24 mi · Agar 28 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 Cow Creek (44.5493, -100.468); 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.