community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Caberfae, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.6 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 3.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Caberfae?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Caberfae, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi N, blooms late Jul – late 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 Caberfae
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi S.
How Caberfae ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 83rd | 68th | 47th |
| Michigan | 52nd | 93rd | 39th | 42nd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 83rd | 92nd | 65th | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Caberfae: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Harrietta 4 mi · Boon 7 mi · Mesick 11 mi · Wellston 12 mi · Wedgewood 12 mi · Cadillac 15 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 Caberfae (44.2492, -85.7256); 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.