village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Deerfield, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); apples (nearest 0.6 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Deerfield?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Deerfield, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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); 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 8,607 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 6,969 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Apples: about 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early May
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 Deerfield
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi S.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Apples: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). 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 Deerfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 55th | 93rd | 43rd |
| Michigan | 97th | 34th | 94th | 39th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 63rd | 73rd | 56th | 36th |
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 Deerfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Petersburg 3 mi · Blissfield 6 mi · Britton 7 mi · Dundee 8 mi · Ida 11 mi · Tecumseh 12 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 Deerfield (41.8902, -83.7789); 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.