town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Herrick, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Herrick?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Herrick, 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, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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): 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 423 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 143 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Herrick
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.79 mi E.
How Herrick ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 54th | 88th | 63rd |
| South Dakota | 60th | 94th | 58th | 17th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 74th | 96th | 70th | 19th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Herrick: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Charles 5 mi · Burke 7 mi · Bonesteel 12 mi · Gregory 14 mi · Fairfax 16 mi · Dallas 19 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 Herrick (43.115, -99.1882); 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.