IN YOUR ORCHARD
North Dakota is home to over half a million honey bee
colonies, and is the number one honey producing state in
the United States for the past 30 years. According to the
North Dakota Department of Agriculture, in 2017, North
Dakota produced 33 million pounds of honey valued at
over $65 million. The vast expanse of land, as far as the
eye can see, offers a dense and rich clover forage, a
favorite of the honey bee. It is therefore no surprise that
more beekeepers want to bring their bees to the Peace
Garden State each year. In contrast, corn and soybean
are gaining popularity in the agricultural landscape of
North Dakota, replacing some of the more traditional
grain crops of the past. As a result of these two opposing
landscape factors, beekeepers in North Dakota report
Map of North Dakota bee yards. Each blue dot represents a
registered apiary (bee yard) Source:
A common sighting in North Dakota, a typical honey producing bee yard. Browning Honey Co. Bee Integrated Yard
THE BEE BOX
The Last Best Place for Bees
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A L M O N D F A C T S
