village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Onsted, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (83rd percentile) and lowest in spring (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Onsted?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Onsted, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 243 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 165 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 106 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Onsted
Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi NE.
How Onsted ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 63rd | 89th | 63rd |
| Michigan | 87th | 50th | 83rd | 66th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 18th | 71st | 22nd | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Onsted: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Manitou Beach-Devils Lake 5 mi · Vineyard Lake 6 mi · Brooklyn 8 mi · Cement City 8 mi · Addison 8 mi · Clayton 10 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 Onsted (42.0061, -84.1893); 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.