community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Townsend, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 19% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Townsend?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Townsend, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 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 Townsend
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Townsend ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 64th | 66th | 57th |
| Wisconsin | 19th | 67th | 24th | 39th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 45th | 41st | 53rd | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Townsend: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lakewood 4 mi · Wabeno 9 mi · Mountain 11 mi · White Lake 14 mi · Laona 17 mi · Mole Lake 22 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 Townsend (45.324, -88.5904); 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.