community in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Stearns, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 38% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Stearns?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Stearns, 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 11.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Stearns
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi S; open water 0.06 mi S.
How Stearns ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 91st | 39th | 43rd |
| Kentucky | 38th | 68th | 36th | 80th |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 72nd | 74th | 77th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 69% 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 Stearns: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whitley City 2 mi · Pine Knot 3 mi · Williamsburg 17 mi · Emlyn 19 mi · Pleasant View 19 mi · Rockholds 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 Stearns (36.6959, -84.476); 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.