city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Ripon, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ripon?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ripon, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, black locust; 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; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 3,073 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,369 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Ripon
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Ripon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 64th | 87th | 86th |
| Wisconsin | 95th | 67th | 79th | 95th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 86th | 84th | 46th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Ripon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Green Lake 6 mi · Fairwater 7 mi · Brandon 8 mi · Rosendale 9 mi · Waukau 10 mi · Berlin 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 Ripon (43.8436, -88.8379); 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.