community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Falmouth, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (11th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Falmouth?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Falmouth, 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, 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): alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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
- Alfalfa: about 1,739 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 959 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 Falmouth
Mostly: Corn; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi NE.
How Falmouth ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 35th | 85th | 88th |
| Michigan | 56th | 11th | 73rd | 95th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 88th | 6th | 99th | 99th |
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 Falmouth: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McBain 7 mi · Lake City 9 mi · Marion 10 mi · Jennings 13 mi · Haring 16 mi · Houghton Lake 17 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 Falmouth (44.2398, -85.0801); 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.