city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Fort Ransom, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 43% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Ransom?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Ransom, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 815 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 195 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, 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 Fort Ransom
Mostly: Northern Tallgrass Prairie; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Western Great Plains Dry Bur Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi S.
How Fort Ransom ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 47th | 89th | 98th |
| North Dakota | 43rd | 93rd | 37th | 63rd |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 15th | 86th | 10th | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Fort Ransom: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Englevale 9 mi · Elliott 10 mi · Kathryn 11 mi · Nome 12 mi · Lisbon 13 mi · Verona 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 Fort Ransom (46.5245, -97.9311); 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.