community in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Dahlen, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dahlen?
- 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 late Jul (soybeans, canola, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dahlen, 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): canola, soybeans, dry Beans, sunflower; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), sunflower; water white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, soybeans, dry Beans, sunflower; 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 138 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, 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 Dahlen
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Soybeans; Northern Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SW.
How Dahlen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 17th | 94th | 100th |
| North Dakota | 72nd | 37th | 66th | 96th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 70th | 35th | 51st | 97th |
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 Dahlen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fordville 7 mi · Petersburg 10 mi · Lankin 11 mi · Niagara 11 mi · Michigan City 13 mi · Conway 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 Dahlen (48.1588, -97.9324); 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.