city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Simpsonville, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in summer (80th percentile) and lowest in spring (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Simpsonville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Simpsonville, 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, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 164 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, 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 Simpsonville
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Simpsonville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 89th | 81st | 42nd |
| Kentucky | 83rd | 60th | 80th | 72nd |
| Interior Plateau | 88th | 51st | 86th | 77th |
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 Simpsonville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shelbyville 6 mi · Elk Creek 7 mi · Middletown 10 mi · Woodland Hills 10 mi · Pewee Valley 10 mi · Anchorage 11 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 Simpsonville (38.2152, -85.3469); 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.