village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Birch Run, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Birch Run?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Birch Run, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 2,995 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,172 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Birch Run
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi N.
How Birch Run ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 54th | 90th | 68th |
| Michigan | 86th | 31st | 85th | 74th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 41st | 71st | 39th | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Birch Run: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Burt 6 mi · Clio 6 mi · Frankenmuth 6 mi · Montrose 7 mi · Bridgeport 9 mi · Mount Morris 10 mi
All towns in Michigan · 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 Birch Run (43.2507, -83.7917); 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.