community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Palestine, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Palestine?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Palestine, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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, likely to set over some months
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 4,873 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 6,098 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Palestine
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N.
How Palestine ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 58th | 89th | 38th |
| Indiana | 27th | 57th | 35th | 74th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 55th | 53rd | 56th | 20th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Palestine: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Burket 2 mi · Claypool 4 mi · Mentone 5 mi · Beaver Dam 6 mi · Warsaw 7 mi · Hoffman Lake 7 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 Palestine (41.1748, -85.9456); 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.