village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Dorchester, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dorchester?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Aug (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dorchester, 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 20.
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); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 5,825 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 61 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 154 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Dorchester
Mostly: Corn; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.15 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi E.
How Dorchester ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 40th | 88th | 87th |
| Wisconsin | 81st | 19th | 83rd | 96th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 75th | 27th | 79th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Dorchester: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Abbotsford 4 mi · Stetsonville 5 mi · Colby 6 mi · Curtiss 6 mi · Medford 9 mi · Unity 10 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 Dorchester (45.0014, -90.3312); 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.