town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Rockham, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring and fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Rockham?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockham, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, 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 550 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Rockham
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi E.
How Rockham ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 58th | 90th | 96th |
| South Dakota | 73rd | 96th | 62nd | 96th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 27th | 94th | 13th | 54th |
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 Rockham: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Orient 13 mi · Redfield 15 mi · Ashton 17 mi · Faulkton 17 mi · Evergreen Colony 18 mi · Chelsea 19 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 Rockham (44.9043, -98.8234); 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.