city in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in North Adams, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in North Adams?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of North 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 North Adams
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi NW.
How North Adams ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 74th | 61st | 45th |
| Massachusetts | 70th | 76th | 71st | 38th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 75th | 84th | 53rd | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 North Adams: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Adams 3 mi · Williamstown 5 mi · Cheshire 8 mi · Pittsfield 17 mi · Shelburne Falls 19 mi · Lenox 23 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 North Adams (42.6756, -73.1181); 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.