city in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Franklin, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (76th percentile) and lowest in spring (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Franklin?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Franklin, 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 Feb 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, garden flowers; 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 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 1 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 Franklin
Mostly: Mississippi River Bottomland Depression; Mississippi Delta Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh; Mississippi River High Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Franklin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 75th | 22nd | 32nd |
| Louisiana | 69th | 57th | 76th | 59th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 18th | 31st | 23rd | 73rd |
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 Franklin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Baldwin 5 mi · Centerville 5 mi · Charenton 6 mi · Glencoe 10 mi · Sorrel 10 mi · Jeanerette 13 mi
All towns in Louisiana · 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 Franklin (29.7849, -91.5096); 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.