village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Breckenridge, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Breckenridge?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Breckenridge, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, alfalfa, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 10,014 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12,989 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 93 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms late Jul – early Sep (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 Breckenridge
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.39 mi W; open water 0.4 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cucumbers: insecticides used on about 36% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Breckenridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 44th | 92nd | 72nd |
| Michigan | 94th | 21st | 92nd | 81st |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 87th | 30th | 78th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Breckenridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Louis 7 mi · Merrill 7 mi · Alma 9 mi · Ithaca 10 mi · Hemlock 12 mi · Shepherd 14 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 Breckenridge (43.4071, -84.4755); 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.