city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Courtenay, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Courtenay?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Courtenay, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dry Beans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some 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 3,566 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Courtenay
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.66 mi E.
How Courtenay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 36th | 91st | 99th |
| North Dakota | 54th | 81st | 49th | 74th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 31st | 71st | 23rd | 76th |
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 Courtenay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wimbledon 6 mi · Kensal 9 mi · Spiritwood Lake 10 mi · Sutton 14 mi · Leal 14 mi · Glenfield 16 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 Courtenay (47.2241, -98.5685); 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.