village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Franklin, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Franklin?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Franklin, 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 Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 10,207 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12,651 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late 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 Franklin
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; open water 0.25 mi NE.
How Franklin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 59th | 94th | 33rd |
| Illinois | 62nd | 73rd | 46th | 68th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 77th | 50th | 67th | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Franklin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waverly 5 mi · Alexander 7 mi · Woodson 9 mi · New Berlin 10 mi · Scottville 10 mi · Modesto 10 mi
All towns in Illinois · National map · How the scoring works
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 Franklin (39.6205, -90.0477); 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.