village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Brandon, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brandon?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brandon, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dry Beans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 2,163 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 313 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, 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 Brandon
Mostly: North-Central Interior Freshwater Marsh; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi S.
How Brandon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 48th | 89th | 80th |
| Wisconsin | 94th | 33rd | 89th | 88th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 84th | 58th | 66th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Brandon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fairwater 4 mi · Alto 5 mi · Rosendale 8 mi · Waupun 8 mi · Ripon 8 mi · Markesan 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 Brandon (43.7354, -88.7821); 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.