community in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Palo, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Palo?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- 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 Palo, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 155 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,131 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 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 Palo
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.43 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.56 mi E.
How Palo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 47th | 89th | 56th |
| Michigan | 77th | 24th | 82nd | 56th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 47th | 35th | 57th | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Palo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hubbardston 7 mi · Muir 8 mi · Sheridan 8 mi · Carson City 9 mi · Lyons 9 mi · Pewamo 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 Palo (43.1106, -84.9861); 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.