city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Canton City (Hensel), North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Canton City (Hensel)?
- First forage: May 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, canola)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Canton City (Hensel), 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, canola, sunflower, dry Beans; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, sunflower, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, canola, dry Beans, dandelion; white, 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 429 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 195 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, 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 Canton City (Hensel)
Mostly: Soybeans; Spring Wheat; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.64 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 35% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Canton City (Hensel) ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 17th | 98th | 100th |
| North Dakota | 85th | 37th | 82nd | 88th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 93rd | 57th | 90th | 84th |
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 Canton City (Hensel): darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Crystal 6 mi · Cavalier 8 mi · Mountain 9 mi · Hoople 11 mi · St. Thomas 11 mi · Hamilton 13 mi
All towns in North Dakota · 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 Canton City (Hensel) (48.688, -97.6661); 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.