village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Sunfield, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in summer (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Sunfield?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sunfield, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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
- Soybeans: about 8,560 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 6,945 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 106 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Sunfield
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.53 mi W.
How Sunfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 39th | 95th | 42nd |
| Michigan | 98th | 14th | 97th | 37th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 95th | 22nd | 92nd | 24th |
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 Sunfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mulliken 5 mi · Lake Odessa 7 mi · Woodland 7 mi · Portland 9 mi · Vermontville 9 mi · Eagle 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 Sunfield (42.7612, -84.9951); 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.