village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Oxford, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 38% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi N); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oxford?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oxford, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 234 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 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 Oxford
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Oxford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 66th | 69th | 73rd |
| Michigan | 38th | 58th | 40th | 82nd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 5th | 70th | 6th | 82nd |
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 Oxford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Orion 3 mi · Leonard 6 mi · Metamora 9 mi · Ortonville 10 mi · Lake Angelus 10 mi · Auburn Hills 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 Oxford (42.8214, -83.2535); 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.