city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Norway, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi N); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Norway?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Norway, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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), 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
- Alfalfa: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 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 Norway
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.45 mi SE; open water 0.45 mi SE.
How Norway ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 65th | 76th | 77th |
| Michigan | 51st | 54th | 58th | 87th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 81st | 44th | 90th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Norway: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Quinnesec 4 mi · Iron Mountain 7 mi · Kingsford 9 mi · Hermansville 16 mi · Powers 20 mi · Carney 22 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 Norway (45.7986, -87.914); 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.