town in Georgia
Honey bee forage in Gay, Georgia
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Georgia. Against other Georgia sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 3.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.7 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gay?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gay, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi E, blooms early Mar – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 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 Gay
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.41 mi SE; open water 0.41 mi NW.
How Gay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 86th | 23rd | 3rd |
| Georgia | 69th | 80th | 50th | 12th |
| Piedmont | 58th | 64th | 30th | 8th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Gay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Molena 7 mi · Woodbury 8 mi · Concord 8 mi · Hilltop 8 mi · Greenville 9 mi · Haralson 9 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 Gay (33.0958, -84.5794); 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.