community in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Tolu, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tolu?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tolu, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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 177 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 159 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, 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 Tolu
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi N.
How Tolu ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 71st | 83rd | 16th |
| Kentucky | 70th | 10th | 82nd | 17th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 18th | 68th | 24th | 30th |
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 Tolu: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Carrsville 8 mi · Marion 11 mi · Salem 12 mi · Crayne 14 mi · Burna 14 mi · Sturgis 16 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 Tolu (37.4337, -88.2448); 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.