village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Oakley, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oakley?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oakley, 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 7,610 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 204 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, 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 Oakley
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi SE.
How Oakley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 40th | 94th | 42nd |
| Michigan | 96th | 16th | 96th | 37th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 58th | 56th | 59th | 35th |
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 Oakley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Chesaning 4 mi · Henderson 4 mi · New Lothrop 10 mi · Owosso 10 mi · St. Charles 11 mi · Middletown 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 Oakley (43.1434, -84.1686); 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.