community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Garretts Mill, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Garretts Mill?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Garretts Mill, 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 Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; 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
- Soybeans: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 127 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Garretts Mill
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi E.
How Garretts Mill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 89th | 58th | 53rd |
| Maryland | 37th | 84th | 26th | 68th |
| Blue Ridge | 92nd | 58th | 97th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 82% 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 Garretts Mill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Yarrowsburg 2 mi · Sandy Hook 2 mi · Brownsville 2 mi · Dargan 3 mi · Gapland 4 mi · Rosemont 4 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 Garretts Mill (39.3533, -77.6889); 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.