community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Ashippun, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (83rd percentile) and lowest in spring (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ashippun?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashippun, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 151 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 851 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, 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 Ashippun
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi W.
How Ashippun ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 58th | 88th | 72nd |
| Wisconsin | 92nd | 54th | 83rd | 74th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 77th | 76th | 54th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Ashippun: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lac La Belle 5 mi · Neosho 6 mi · Lebanon 6 mi · Ixonia 7 mi · Okauchee Lake 7 mi · Oconomowoc 8 mi
All towns in Wisconsin · 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 Ashippun (43.2182, -88.5159); 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.