community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Preble, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in summer (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Preble?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Preble, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 13,759 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10,626 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 237 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Preble
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi N.
How Preble ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 26th | 98th | 12th |
| Indiana | 88th | 24th | 85th | 27th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 76th | 26th | 77th | 29th |
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 Preble: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Decatur 4 mi · Tocsin 5 mi · Craigville 6 mi · Monroe 7 mi · Hoagland 8 mi · Ossian 9 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 Preble (40.8326, -85.0099); 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.