city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Plainwell, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring and summer (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Plainwell?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Plainwell, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 1,647 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 193 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – 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 Plainwell
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Plainwell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 71st | 83rd | 73rd |
| Michigan | 74th | 70th | 70th | 82nd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 40th | 79th | 32nd | 80th |
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 Plainwell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Otsego 3 mi · Martin 6 mi · Parchment 9 mi · Westwood 10 mi · Comstock Northwest 11 mi · Richland 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 Plainwell (42.4447, -85.6423); 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.