city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Parshall, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Parshall?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jul (canola)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Parshall, 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): 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, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, 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 535 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Parshall
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Spring Wheat; Canola.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.5 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 37% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Parshall ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 44th | 94th | 85th |
| North Dakota | 65th | 91st | 63rd | 10th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 90th | 89th | 87th | 54th |
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 Parshall: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Plaza 9 mi · Makoti 15 mi · New Town 17 mi · Four Bears Village 21 mi · Ryder 22 mi · White Shield 25 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 Parshall (47.9595, -102.1338); 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.