town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Hoven, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (69th percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hoven?
- 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, sunflower)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hoven, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, sunflower, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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 179 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 122 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 120 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms late Jul – 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 Hoven
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Soybeans; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi SE.
How Hoven ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 35th | 92nd | 83rd |
| South Dakota | 68th | 58th | 69th | 44th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 82nd | 78th | 81st | 50th |
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 Hoven: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tolstoy 8 mi · Lowry 11 mi · Lebanon 12 mi · Onaka 16 mi · Bowdle 16 mi · Akaska 18 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 Hoven (45.2416, -99.7775); 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.