city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Grayson, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in summer (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Grayson?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 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 Grayson, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Grayson
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Grayson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 92nd | 62nd | 54th |
| Kentucky | 60th | 73rd | 58th | 100th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 84th | 64th | 78th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Grayson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Olive Hill 13 mi · Cannonsburg 13 mi · Ironville 15 mi · Westwood 17 mi · Wurtland 17 mi · Greenup 17 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 Grayson (38.3339, -82.9358); 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.