city in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Vassar, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Vassar?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Vassar, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, 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
- Soybeans: about 296 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 1,071 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 734 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early Jul – early 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 Vassar
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 60% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Vassar ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 68th | 86th | 88th |
| Michigan | 83rd | 61st | 77th | 95th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 37th | 85th | 26th | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Vassar: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Millington 7 mi · Reese 8 mi · Frankenmuth 9 mi · Fairgrove 11 mi · Mayville 12 mi · Caro 12 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 Vassar (43.3708, -83.5775); 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.