community in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Chaplin, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in summer (65th percentile) and lowest in fall (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chaplin?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chaplin, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late May – early 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 Chaplin
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi N; open water 0.2 mi SE.
How Chaplin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 88th | 68th | 25th |
| Kentucky | 60th | 53rd | 65th | 34th |
| Interior Plateau | 54th | 44th | 67th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 66% 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 Chaplin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bloomfield 5 mi · Willisburg 8 mi · Fairfield 9 mi · Taylorsville 12 mi · Bardstown 14 mi · Mackville 14 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 Chaplin (37.8991, -85.221); 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.