community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in New Marion, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in New Marion?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Marion, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 4,710 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,279 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 New Marion
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; open water 0.09 mi E.
How New Marion ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 74th | 89th | 11th |
| Indiana | 51st | 73rd | 38th | 24th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 29th | 81st | 23rd | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 New Marion: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Holton 5 mi · Versailles 7 mi · Butlerville 8 mi · Osgood 9 mi · Cross Plains 9 mi · Canaan 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 New Marion (39.0081, -85.3584); 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.