city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Faith, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 1.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Faith?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Faith, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Faith
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi N; open water 0.33 mi NE.
How Faith ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 47th | 64th | 91st |
| South Dakota | 40th | 88th | 35th | 71st |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 73rd | 96th | 64th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Faith: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dupree 21 mi · Lantry 30 mi · Bridger 34 mi · Green Grass 38 mi · Isabel 39 mi · Cherry Creek 39 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 Faith (45.0253, -102.0371); 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.