city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Oakes, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oakes?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oakes, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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 960 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 375 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Oakes
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.42 mi NW; pond, lake or river 1.26 mi W.
How Oakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 58th | 90th | 94th |
| North Dakota | 53rd | 98th | 42nd | 30th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 28th | 94th | 14th | 48th |
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 Oakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ludden 9 mi · Cogswell 15 mi · Verona 15 mi · Fullerton 16 mi · LaMoure 18 mi · Englevale 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 Oakes (46.1397, -98.0871); 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.