village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Elsie, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in spring (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elsie?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elsie, 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, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 5,095 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,895 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 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 Elsie
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.5 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi S.
How Elsie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 54th | 92nd | 63rd |
| Michigan | 96th | 32nd | 92nd | 67th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 92nd | 45th | 79th | 62nd |
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 Elsie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ovid 6 mi · Eureka 6 mi · Ashley 8 mi · Henderson 10 mi · St. Johns 10 mi · Oakley 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 Elsie (43.0893, -84.3885); 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.