city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Berea, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Berea?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Berea, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Berea
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.17 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Berea ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 94th | 64th | 41st |
| Kentucky | 67th | 90th | 60th | 71st |
| Interior Plateau | 64th | 81st | 60th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Berea: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Richmond 10 mi · Brodhead 14 mi · Crab Orchard 15 mi · Lancaster 16 mi · Mount Vernon 16 mi · Irvine 19 mi
All towns in Kentucky · National map · How the scoring works
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 Berea (37.5893, -84.2945); 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.