town in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Valley Head, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Alabama. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Alabama sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 3.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Valley Head?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Valley Head, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Valley Head
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.18 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi NE.
How Valley Head ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 88th | 33rd | 32nd |
| Alabama | 70th | 78th | 80th | 86th |
| Ridge and Valley | 59th | 78th | 25th | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Valley Head: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hammondville 1 mi · Mentone 2 mi · Fort Payne 8 mi · Henagar 8 mi · Sylvania 10 mi · Ider 10 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 Valley Head (34.5562, -85.623); 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.