city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Milton, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Milton?
- First forage: May 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Milton, 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 27.
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; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): canola, soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Canola: about 850 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early 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 Milton
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Soybeans; Canola.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi W.
How Milton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 100th | 30th | 100th | 99th |
| North Dakota | 95th | 65th | 94th | 69th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 95th | 60th | 94th | 72nd |
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 Milton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Osnabrock 6 mi · Mountain 9 mi · Edinburg 12 mi · Fairdale 13 mi · Adams 14 mi · Nekoma 15 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 Milton (48.626, -98.046); 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.