city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Hardin, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); rapeseed (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hardin?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hardin, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, rape Seed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, rape Seed; 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 512 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Rapeseed: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms late Mar – early May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 561 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, 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 Hardin
Mostly: East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi E.
How Hardin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 94th | 86th | 14th |
| Kentucky | 91st | 87th | 85th | 15th |
| Mississippi Valley Loess Plains | 79th | 79th | 78th | 53rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Hardin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dexter 2 mi · Benton 7 mi · Murray 10 mi · Farmington 14 mi · Symsonia 16 mi · Grand Rivers 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 Hardin (36.7651, -88.3022); 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.