community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Gilmanton, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gilmanton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gilmanton, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 211 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 96 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – 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 Gilmanton
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.37 mi S.
How Gilmanton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 37th | 88th | 62nd |
| Wisconsin | 69th | 14th | 82nd | 47th |
| Driftless Area | 54th | 18th | 69th | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Gilmanton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mondovi 6 mi · Eleva 12 mi · Waumandee 12 mi · Strum 15 mi · Alma 16 mi · Rock Falls 16 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 Gilmanton (44.4809, -91.6721); 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.