community in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Bristow Cove, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (77th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bristow Cove?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bristow Cove, 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 Mar 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi E, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 87 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 5 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 Bristow Cove
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.44 mi S.
How Bristow Cove ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 88th | 31st | 34th |
| Alabama | 72nd | 77th | 78th | 87th |
| Ridge and Valley | 62nd | 76th | 21st | 26th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 Bristow Cove: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
New Union 2 mi · Walnut Grove 4 mi · Egypt 5 mi · Altoona 6 mi · Douglas 6 mi · Carlisle-Rockledge 7 mi
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 Bristow Cove (34.1092, -86.241); 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.