city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Monticello, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Monticello?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Monticello, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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, 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 509 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 476 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Monticello
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.43 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.81 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Monticello ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 95th | 79th | 40th |
| Kentucky | 86th | 93rd | 78th | 66th |
| Interior Plateau | 91st | 86th | 83rd | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Monticello: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jamestown 16 mi · Burnside 16 mi · Albany 19 mi · Russell Springs 19 mi · Ferguson 21 mi · Somerset 22 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 Monticello (36.8411, -84.8513); 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.