community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Helenville, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Helenville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Helenville, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 307 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 788 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Helenville
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Acidic Peatland Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi NE.
How Helenville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 59th | 88th | 60th |
| Wisconsin | 91st | 54th | 84th | 42nd |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 73rd | 76th | 55th | 29th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Helenville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rome 3 mi · Sullivan 5 mi · Jefferson 6 mi · Johnson Creek 6 mi · Hebron 7 mi · Fort Atkinson 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 Helenville (43.0165, -88.6999); 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.