village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Port Hope, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Port Hope?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Port Hope, 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 24.
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): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans; 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 587 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 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 Port Hope
Mostly: Open water; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi N.
How Port Hope ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 50th | 85th | 98th |
| Michigan | 72nd | 27th | 73rd | 98th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 23rd | 68th | 23rd | 91st |
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 Port Hope: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Harbor Beach 7 mi · Kinde 14 mi · Port Austin 16 mi · Bad Axe 17 mi · Minden City 19 mi · Ubly 19 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 Port Hope (43.9394, -82.715); 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.