town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Pickstown, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.6 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pickstown?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pickstown, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 131 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 104 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi N, 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 Pickstown
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Open water; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi SE.
How Pickstown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 70th | 72nd | 82nd |
| South Dakota | 51st | 99th | 41st | 41st |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 60th | 99th | 38th | 48th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Pickstown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Andes 6 mi · Marty 7 mi · Ravinia 7 mi · Lakeview Colony 11 mi · Wagner 12 mi · Geddes 15 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 Pickstown (43.067, -98.5296); 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.