community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Hastings, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in spring (69th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); oranges (nearest 3.4 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Hastings?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hastings, 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 Feb 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Apr – early May (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 Hastings
Mostly: Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock; Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi NW; open water 0.08 mi NW.
How Hastings ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 73rd | 13th | 25th |
| Florida | 69th | 69th | 65th | 27th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 68th | 66th | 65th | 29th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Hastings: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Flagler Estates 5 mi · East Palatka 7 mi · Palatka 11 mi · St. Augustine Shores 13 mi · St. Augustine South 14 mi · Butler Beach 15 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 Hastings (29.7144, -81.4992); 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.