village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Sheridan, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (72nd percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sheridan?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sheridan, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 343 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Sheridan
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Sheridan ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 57th | 85th | 62nd |
| Michigan | 65th | 37th | 72nd | 64th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 24th | 51st | 38th | 58th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 48% 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 Sheridan: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stanton 6 mi · Crystal 8 mi · Palo 8 mi · Greenville 9 mi · McBride 10 mi · Belding 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 Sheridan (43.2098, -85.0798); 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.