city in North Dakota

Honey bee forage in New Rockford, North Dakota

Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in New Rockford?

  • First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
  • Season ends: Oct 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Rockford, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 2,124 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 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 New Rockford

Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans; Corn.

Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.41 mi N.

How New Rockford ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US96th56th92nd99th
North Dakota72nd97th54th80th
Northern Glaciated Plains69th93rd29th81st

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 New Rockford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Sheyenne 10 mi · Cathay 15 mi · Carrington 16 mi · Oberon 17 mi · Grace City 18 mi · Hamberg 19 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 New Rockford (47.6796, -99.1377); 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.