city in Alabama
Honey bee forage in New Hope, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (82nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in New Hope?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Hope, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 134 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 279 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jun (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 New Hope
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest; Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi E.
How New Hope ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 97th | 69th | 27th |
| Alabama | 99th | 99th | 97th | 82nd |
| Interior Plateau | 93rd | 98th | 69th | 36th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 New Hope: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Owens Cross Roads 4 mi · Grant 9 mi · Union Grove 9 mi · Paint Rock 10 mi · Woodville 10 mi · Gurley 11 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 New Hope (34.538, -86.4124); 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.