town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Ravinia, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (11th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ravinia?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ravinia, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra 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 540 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 722 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 138 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 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 Ravinia
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.39 mi NE.
How Ravinia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 51st | 94th | 55th |
| South Dakota | 85th | 92nd | 80th | 11th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 89th | 94th | 87th | 10th |
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 Ravinia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Andes 6 mi · Lakeview Colony 6 mi · Pickstown 7 mi · Wagner 8 mi · Marty 10 mi · Armour 13 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 Ravinia (43.1365, -98.4269); 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.