town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Orient, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Orient?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orient, 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 14.
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), sunflower; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, 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
- Soybeans: about 1,733 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,333 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late 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 Orient
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.21 mi SW.
How Orient ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 43rd | 93rd | 73rd |
| South Dakota | 80th | 83rd | 77th | 27th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 39th | 81st | 41st | 16th |
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 Orient: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Faulkton 9 mi · Rockham 13 mi · Evergreen Colony 15 mi · Cresbard 20 mi · Brentwood Colony 20 mi · Thunderbird Colony 22 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 Orient (44.9017, -99.0887); 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.