village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Winter, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in summer (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Winter?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Winter, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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, soybeans; 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 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 39 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 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 Winter
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Boreal-Laurentian Conifer Acidic Swamp and Treed Poor Fen.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.62 mi NE.
How Winter ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 67th | 75th | 64th |
| Wisconsin | 42nd | 73rd | 41st | 53rd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 76th | 50th | 88th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Winter: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Radisson 11 mi · New Post 11 mi · Couderay 14 mi · Exeland 15 mi · Reserve 17 mi · Chief Lake 17 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 Winter (45.8221, -91.013); 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.