community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Holcombe, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Holcombe?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Holcombe, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, 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 Holcombe
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi N; open water 0.12 mi N.
How Holcombe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 67th | 73rd | 57th |
| Wisconsin | 35th | 74th | 38th | 39th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 69th | 50th | 83rd | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Holcombe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cornell 4 mi · Sheldon 10 mi · Conrath 12 mi · Jim Falls 14 mi · Gilman 16 mi · Ladysmith 17 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 Holcombe (45.2223, -91.1206); 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.