village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Somerset, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Somerset?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Somerset, 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 15.
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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 136 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 182 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, 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 Somerset
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Somerset ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 65th | 80th | 80th |
| Wisconsin | 66th | 69th | 55th | 87th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 56th | 78th | 45th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Somerset: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
New Richmond 6 mi · Houlton 7 mi · Star Prairie 8 mi · North Hudson 10 mi · Hudson 12 mi · Roberts 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 Somerset (45.1257, -92.673); 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.