village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Pierson, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in spring (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Pierson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pierson, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 105 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 224 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jul – late 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 Pierson
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi NW.
How Pierson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 61st | 84th | 72nd |
| Michigan | 69th | 46th | 72nd | 80th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 98th | 36th | 99th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Pierson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sand Lake 3 mi · Howard City 5 mi · Trufant 7 mi · Cedar Springs 7 mi · Morley 12 mi · Rockford 13 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 Pierson (43.3196, -85.4975); 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.