community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Halfway, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sweet corn (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Halfway?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Halfway, 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, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 177 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 261 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, 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 Halfway
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Halfway ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 89th | 77th | 62nd |
| Maryland | 75th | 83rd | 61st | 94th |
| Ridge and Valley | 97th | 80th | 90th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Halfway: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kemps Mill 2 mi · Williamsport 3 mi · Hagerstown 3 mi · St. James 3 mi · Funkstown 4 mi · Wilson-Conococheague 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 Halfway (39.6157, -77.7711); 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.