community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Adams, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (68th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Adams?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Adams, 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 May 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light 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), garden flowers; extra 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
- Corn: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Adams
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Acadian-Appalachian Montane Spruce-Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi E.
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 Adams ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 71st | 68th | 64th |
| Massachusetts | 86th | 68th | 96th | 74th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 91st | 77th | 85th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Adams: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Adams 3 mi · Cheshire 5 mi · Williamstown 7 mi · Pittsfield 14 mi · Shelburne Falls 19 mi · Lenox 20 mi
All towns in Massachusetts · 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 Adams (42.6291, -73.1187); 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.