city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Shelbyville, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (82nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelbyville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelbyville, 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 16.
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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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, 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 220 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 122 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late 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 Shelbyville
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.29 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Shelbyville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 93rd | 83rd | 51st |
| Kentucky | 88th | 85th | 82nd | 98th |
| Interior Plateau | 94th | 73rd | 89th | 97th |
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 Shelbyville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Simpsonville 6 mi · Elk Creek 10 mi · Eminence 11 mi · Pleasureville 12 mi · Smithfield 13 mi · Taylorsville 14 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 Shelbyville (38.2063, -85.2336); 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.