village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 7% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it ranks highest in spring and fall (38th percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Balsam Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Balsam Lake, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, soybeans; 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 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 211 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SW, blooms late Jul – 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 Balsam Lake
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Balsam Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 39th | 51st | 59th | 56th |
| Wisconsin | 7th | 38th | 12th | 38th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 4th | 51st | 7th | 13th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Balsam Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Milltown 5 mi · Centuria 5 mi · Luck 8 mi · St. Croix Falls 9 mi · Dresser 11 mi · Amery 12 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 Balsam Lake (45.462, -92.4471); 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.