city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Northwood, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Northwood?
- 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: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Northwood, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans; water white
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 2,962 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 901 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 165 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, 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 Northwood
Mostly: Corn; Dry Beans; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.68 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.93 mi SW.
How Northwood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 36th | 94th | 100th |
| North Dakota | 77th | 80th | 63rd | 98th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 85th | 80th | 63rd | 97th |
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 Northwood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hatton 8 mi · Larimore 13 mi · Emerado 17 mi · Grand Forks AFB 17 mi · Sharon 18 mi · Portland 18 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 Northwood (47.7314, -97.5652); 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.