village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Clayton, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clayton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clayton, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, alfalfa, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 190 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 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 Clayton
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Clayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 67th | 85th | 81st |
| Wisconsin | 86th | 74th | 67th | 89th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 80th | 82nd | 58th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Clayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Turtle Lake 4 mi · Clear Lake 7 mi · Almena 9 mi · Amery 10 mi · Prairie Farm 11 mi · Deer Park 15 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 Clayton (45.3275, -92.1645); 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.