community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Forestburg, 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 (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Forestburg?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Forestburg, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Corn: about 310 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late 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 Forestburg
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi NE.
How Forestburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 66th | 84th | 72nd |
| South Dakota | 58th | 99th | 52nd | 26th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 6th | 98th | 4th | 16th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Forestburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Letcher 9 mi · Woonsocket 9 mi · Artesian 9 mi · Upland Colony 12 mi · Fedora 16 mi · Loomis 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 Forestburg (44.0212, -98.1032); 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.