village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Hersey, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hersey?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hersey, 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 19.
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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clover/Wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Alfalfa: about 153 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 113 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jul – 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 Hersey
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; open water 0.02 mi N.
How Hersey ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 62nd | 79th | 79th |
| Michigan | 58th | 49th | 64th | 89th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 90th | 38th | 96th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Hersey: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Reed City 4 mi · Paris 6 mi · Evart 9 mi · Big Rapids 11 mi · Le Roy 13 mi · Barryton 16 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 Hersey (43.8513, -85.4419); 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.