town in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Hanover, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hanover?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hanover, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 3,380 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 661 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, 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 Hanover
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.49 mi SE.
How Hanover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 84th | 85th | 32nd |
| Indiana | 37th | 83rd | 26th | 67th |
| Interior Plateau | 92nd | 25th | 93rd | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Hanover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kent 4 mi · Madison 5 mi · Blocher 10 mi · New Washington 11 mi · Deputy 12 mi · Brooksburg 12 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 Hanover (38.7075, -85.4672); 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.