community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Hatfield, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); watermelons (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hatfield?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hatfield, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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, watermelons, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 10,665 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7,870 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Watermelons: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Sep (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 Hatfield
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.4 mi W.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Watermelons: insecticides used on about 38% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Hatfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 73rd | 95th | 17th |
| Indiana | 97th | 72nd | 63rd | 42nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 96th | 71st | 73rd | 34th |
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 Hatfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Richland 4 mi · Reo 6 mi · Rockport 9 mi · Newburgh 11 mi · Boonville 11 mi · Chandler 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 Hatfield (37.904, -87.2207); 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.