village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Gagetown, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gagetown?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gagetown, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, alfalfa; water white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; water white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dry Beans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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 629 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,191 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 2,672 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Gagetown
Mostly: Corn; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; Dry Beans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi SW.
How Gagetown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 43rd | 90th | 94th |
| Michigan | 87th | 18th | 85th | 96th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 42nd | 59th | 40th | 87th |
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 Gagetown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Owendale 5 mi · Cass City 5 mi · Unionville 11 mi · Sebewaing 11 mi · Elkton 12 mi · Pigeon 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 Gagetown (43.6581, -83.2446); 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.