village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Big Falls, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 21% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Big Falls?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Big Falls, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs, alfalfa, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jul – late 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 Big Falls
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi NE.
How Big Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 64th | 68th | 50th |
| Wisconsin | 21st | 67th | 29th | 31st |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 13th | 77th | 16th | 9th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Big Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Marion 7 mi · Iola 9 mi · Tigerton 9 mi · Caroline 10 mi · Ogdensburg 11 mi · Manawa 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 Big Falls (44.6156, -89.0202); 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.