town in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Gaston, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gaston?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gaston, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 13,188 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10,471 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Popcorn and ornamental corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Jul (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 Gaston
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi NE.
How Gaston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 46th | 98th | 23rd |
| Indiana | 97th | 47th | 82nd | 54th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 90th | 52nd | 72nd | 58th |
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 Gaston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Matthews 5 mi · Royerton 8 mi · Fowlerton 8 mi · Eaton 8 mi · Summitville 8 mi · Shamrock Lakes 8 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 Gaston (40.314, -85.501); 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.