city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Ashland, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ashland?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashland, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Ashland
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 52% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ashland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 65th | 77th | 80th |
| Wisconsin | 54th | 70th | 48th | 87th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 89th | 45th | 94th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Ashland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bayfront 5 mi · Washburn 7 mi · Diaperville 8 mi · Odanah 9 mi · New Odanah 11 mi · Marengo 11 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 Ashland (46.5818, -90.8719); 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.