community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Hartland, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hartland?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hartland, 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 11.
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); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late 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 Hartland
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi SE.
How Hartland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 76th | 76th | 76th |
| Michigan | 65th | 82nd | 60th | 86th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 24th | 88th | 16th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 64% 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 Hartland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Milford 9 mi · Fenton 9 mi · Brighton 10 mi · Argentine 10 mi · Howell 10 mi · Linden 11 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 Hartland (42.6645, -83.7438); 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.