community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Baldwinville, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in summer and fall (60th percentile) and lowest in spring (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Baldwinville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (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 Baldwinville, 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 shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, 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); 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), 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
- Soybeans: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Baldwinville
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi N; open water 0.11 mi N.
How Baldwinville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 58th | 58th | 58th |
| Massachusetts | 42nd | 25th | 60th | 60th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 43rd | 36th | 41st | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% 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 Baldwinville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gardner 5 mi · Winchendon 6 mi · South Ashburnham 7 mi · Athol 8 mi · Petersham 10 mi · Orange 11 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 Baldwinville (42.6048, -72.0788); 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.