city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Goshen, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Goshen?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Goshen, 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, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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, soybeans, 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 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, 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 Goshen
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 50% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Goshen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 97th | 73rd | 38th |
| Kentucky | 84th | 98th | 71st | 58th |
| Interior Plateau | 89th | 96th | 74th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Goshen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
River Bluff 2 mi · Prospect 4 mi · Green Spring 6 mi · Orchard Grass Hills 7 mi · Coldstream 7 mi · Brownsboro Farm 7 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 Goshen (38.4034, -85.5837); 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.