city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Crystal, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 32% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (77th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: dry beans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Crystal?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Crystal, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red; water white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; water white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dry Beans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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
- Dry beans: about 86 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 342 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – early 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 Crystal
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Soybeans; Dry Beans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi W.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 57% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Crystal ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 32nd | 85th | 99th |
| North Dakota | 32nd | 71st | 28th | 77th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 12th | 76th | 10th | 69th |
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 Crystal: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hoople 5 mi · Canton City (Hensel) 6 mi · St. Thomas 10 mi · Nash 11 mi · Mountain 11 mi · Edinburg 11 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 Crystal (48.5981, -97.6686); 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.