city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (74th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Mineral Point?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mineral Point, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; 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
- Soybeans: about 67 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 200 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 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 Mineral Point
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.62 mi SE.
How Mineral Point ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 78th | 86th | 80th |
| Wisconsin | 98th | 90th | 74th | 88th |
| Driftless Area | 94th | 99th | 59th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Mineral Point: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Linden 6 mi · Dodgeville 8 mi · Edmund 8 mi · Cobb 10 mi · Rewey 11 mi · Belmont 12 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 Mineral Point (42.8632, -90.1818); 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.