village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Downing, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Downing?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Downing, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; 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 323 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 81 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 106 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Downing
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi S.
How Downing ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 45th | 88th | 82nd |
| Wisconsin | 83rd | 27th | 81st | 92nd |
| Driftless Area | 71st | 33rd | 68th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Downing: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Glenwood City 2 mi · Boyceville 4 mi · Emerald 7 mi · Wilson 7 mi · Knapp 7 mi · Woodville 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 Downing (45.0498, -92.1243); 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.