community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in St. Joseph, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (69th percentile) and lowest in spring (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Joseph?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Joseph, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 109 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 293 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – early 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 St. Joseph
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi NW.
How St. Joseph ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 58th | 85th | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 71st | 52nd | 69th | 64th |
| Driftless Area | 57th | 64th | 51st | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 St. Joseph: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coon Valley 6 mi · Bangor 8 mi · West Salem 8 mi · Chaseburg 9 mi · La Crosse 9 mi · Rockland 11 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 St. Joseph (43.7855, -91.0436); 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.