city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Grafton, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Grafton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (clovers: white, alsike and red, dry Beans, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Grafton, 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, garden flowers, black locust; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, sunflower, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans, soybeans; 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
- Sunflower: about 85 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 517 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 127 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jul – early 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 Grafton
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.57 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Heavily developed. About 65% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Grafton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 54th | 88th | 99th |
| North Dakota | 45th | 96th | 34th | 77th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 37th | 93rd | 17th | 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 Grafton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Auburn 7 mi · Nash 7 mi · Minto 9 mi · Hoople 14 mi · Forest River 14 mi · St. Thomas 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 Grafton (48.4139, -97.4062); 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.