community in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Embden, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Embden?
- First forage: May 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Aug (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Embden, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 2,801 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,451 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , 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 Embden
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.13 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi N.
How Embden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 16th | 97th | 96th |
| North Dakota | 76th | 35th | 79th | 46th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 83rd | 55th | 85th | 35th |
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 Embden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Alice 6 mi · Wheatland 8 mi · Buffalo 9 mi · Casselton 12 mi · Leonard 14 mi · Tower City 14 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 Embden (46.805, -97.4395); 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.