village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Sanford, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in spring (65th percentile) and lowest in summer (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sanford?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sanford, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 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 Sanford
Mostly: North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi S; open water 0.04 mi S.
How Sanford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 69th | 60th | 61st |
| Michigan | 26th | 65th | 19th | 64th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 3rd | 86th | 3rd | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Sanford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Midland 9 mi · Coleman 12 mi · Beaverton 15 mi · Loomis 15 mi · Auburn 16 mi · Freeland 18 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 Sanford (43.6782, -84.3855); 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.