village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Ironton, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (68th percentile) and lowest in spring (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ironton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ironton, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, soybeans, 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 159 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi W, 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 Ironton
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; open water 0.41 mi E.
How Ironton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 57th | 85th | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 71st | 52nd | 68th | 63rd |
| Driftless Area | 56th | 64th | 50th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Ironton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
La Valle 3 mi · Cazenovia 3 mi · Lime Ridge 5 mi · Reedsburg 8 mi · Wonewoc 9 mi · Loganville 9 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 Ironton (43.5442, -90.1455); 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.