city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Gratz, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in fall (77th percentile) and lowest in spring (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gratz?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gratz, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 104 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Apr – early Sep (grown 1 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 Gratz
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi N.
How Gratz ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 86th | 65th | 43rd |
| Kentucky | 56th | 41st | 62nd | 77th |
| Interior Plateau | 48th | 36th | 63rd | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 76% 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 Gratz: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Monterey 5 mi · Owenton 7 mi · Worthville 11 mi · Pleasureville 12 mi · New Castle 12 mi · Sanders 13 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 Gratz (38.4734, -84.9464); 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.