city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Reed City, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in spring (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Reed City?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Reed City, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Alfalfa: about 1,325 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, 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 Reed City
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Reed City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 65th | 80th | 85th |
| Michigan | 65th | 55th | 66th | 93rd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 96th | 45th | 97th | 98th |
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 Reed City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hersey 4 mi · Paris 6 mi · Le Roy 12 mi · Evart 12 mi · Big Rapids 12 mi · Luther 14 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 Reed City (43.8728, -85.507); 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.