village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Grass Lake, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Michigan. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Michigan sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Grass Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Grass Lake, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 525 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 993 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms early Jul – early 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 Grass Lake
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi NW.
How Grass Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 71st | 85th | 67th |
| Michigan | 78th | 70th | 74th | 73rd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 51st | 78th | 40th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Grass Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Michigan Center 6 mi · Napoleon 6 mi · Vandercook Lake 10 mi · Jackson 10 mi · Brooklyn 10 mi · Chelsea 10 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 Grass Lake (42.2508, -84.2062); 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.