city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Martin, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Martin?
- 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 (sunflower, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Martin, 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 11.
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): sunflower, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): sunflower, alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Sunflower: about 58 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 216 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Martin
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.4 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi NE.
How Martin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 48th | 86th | 77th |
| South Dakota | 56th | 89th | 55th | 32nd |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 93rd | 97th | 93rd | 14th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Martin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Allen 12 mi · Batesland 19 mi · Wanblee 28 mi · Kyle 28 mi · Porcupine 31 mi · Wounded Knee 32 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 Martin (43.1749, -101.7323); 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.