community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Finzel, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Finzel?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Finzel, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, 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 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Finzel
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi NW; open water 0.15 mi W.
How Finzel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 66th | 54th | 58th |
| Maryland | 10th | 27th | 21st | 84th |
| Ridge and Valley | 33rd | 24th | 68th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Finzel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Zihlman 3 mi · Frostburg 4 mi · Mount Savage 4 mi · Grahamtown 4 mi · Eckhart Mines 4 mi · Midlothian 5 mi
All towns in Maryland · 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 Finzel (39.7017, -78.952); 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.