city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Sawyer, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sawyer?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sawyer, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 2,405 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 226 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, 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 Sawyer
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Spring Wheat; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi NE.
How Sawyer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 59th | 88th | 96th |
| North Dakota | 45th | 98th | 36th | 44th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 17th | 95th | 9th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Sawyer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Velva 6 mi · Logan 7 mi · Voltaire 11 mi · Surrey 11 mi · Minot 14 mi · Granville 16 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 Sawyer (48.0895, -101.0533); 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.