village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Caledonia, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (77th percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Caledonia?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Caledonia, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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
- Corn: about 977 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 837 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – 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 Caledonia
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.17 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.19 mi E.
How Caledonia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 66th | 86th | 68th |
| Michigan | 80th | 58th | 77th | 75th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 53rd | 71st | 45th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Caledonia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Middleville 6 mi · Kentwood 7 mi · Cutlerville 8 mi · Freeport 10 mi · Wayland 11 mi · Byron Center 11 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 Caledonia (42.7947, -85.5171); 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.