community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Leiters Ford, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (60th percentile) and lowest in summer (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Leiters Ford?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Leiters Ford, 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 May 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Corn: about 8,718 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3,025 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Leiters Ford
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi N.
How Leiters Ford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 44th | 90th | 26th |
| Indiana | 27th | 45th | 41st | 60th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 55th | 29th | 67th | 11th |
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 Leiters Ford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Bruce 5 mi · Monterey 6 mi · Kewanna 7 mi · Culver 7 mi · Hartz Lake 7 mi · Ora 10 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 Leiters Ford (41.1176, -86.3799); 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.