community in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Summer Shade, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Summer Shade?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Summer Shade, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; 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 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, 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 Summer Shade
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi S.
How Summer Shade ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 93rd | 50th | 19th |
| Kentucky | 54th | 86th | 48th | 24th |
| Interior Plateau | 45th | 75th | 42nd | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Summer Shade: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edmonton 9 mi · Marrowbone 12 mi · Tompkinsville 13 mi · Glasgow 14 mi · Hiseville 16 mi · Fountain Run 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 Summer Shade (36.8839, -85.7119); 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.