community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Hamill, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (65th percentile) and lowest in fall (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hamill?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hamill, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, 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), alfalfa, 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), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 126 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Hamill
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N.
How Hamill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 37th | 89th | 62nd |
| South Dakota | 57th | 65th | 60th | 15th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 94th | 84th | 95th | 3rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Hamill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ideal 12 mi · Winner 17 mi · Reliance 20 mi · Oacoma 22 mi · New Witten 22 mi · Kennebec 23 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 Hamill (43.594, -99.6932); 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.