village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in McBride, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 30% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer and fall (64th percentile) and lowest in spring (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McBride?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McBride, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, peas; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, dry Beans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 113 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 85 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 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 McBride
Mostly: Corn; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi N.
How McBride ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 43rd | 79th | 61st |
| Michigan | 30th | 18th | 64th | 64th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 50th | 11th | 95th | 85th |
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 McBride: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edmore 4 mi · Stanton 4 mi · Crystal 9 mi · Sheridan 10 mi · Riverdale 10 mi · Elm Hall 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 McBride (43.3521, -85.0441); 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.