city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Fessenden, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fessenden?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fessenden, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red; water white, likely to set over some 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 1,151 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 314 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Fessenden
Mostly: Soybeans; Spring Wheat; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi N.
How Fessenden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 43rd | 91st | 100th |
| North Dakota | 66th | 91st | 49th | 97th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 57th | 81st | 23rd | 98th |
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 Fessenden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hamberg 9 mi · Heimdal 10 mi · Cathay 12 mi · Bowdon 13 mi · Sykeston 17 mi · Harvey 17 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 Fessenden (47.6493, -99.627); 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.