community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in spring (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW); soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Great Barrington?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Great Barrington, 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 13.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 129 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 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 Great Barrington
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi E; open water 0.17 mi SE.
How Great Barrington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 67th | 62nd | 61st |
| Massachusetts | 65th | 54th | 75th | 64th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 70th | 65th | 58th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Great Barrington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Housatonic 3 mi · Lee 10 mi · Lenox Dale 11 mi · Lenox 12 mi · Pittsfield 19 mi · Chester 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 Great Barrington (42.194, -73.3615); 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.