community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in New Washington, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (61st percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in New Washington?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Washington, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 1,207 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – 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 New Washington
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% 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 New Washington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 61st | 93rd | 13th |
| Indiana | 70th | 61st | 55th | 28th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 54th | 70th | 40th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Washington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Otisco 6 mi · Hanover 11 mi · Underwood 11 mi · Henryville 11 mi · Charlestown 11 mi · Blocher 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 New Washington (38.5696, -85.5601); 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.