community in Maryland
Honey bee forage in Sandy Hook, Maryland
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in Maryland. Against other Maryland sites it stands out most in spring (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (11th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sandy Hook?
- 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sandy Hook, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 91 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 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 Sandy Hook
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) 0.05 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi S.
How Sandy Hook ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 56th | 81st | 43rd | 51st |
| Maryland | 17th | 68th | 11th | 64th |
| Blue Ridge | 52nd | 22nd | 86th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Sandy Hook: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garretts Mill 2 mi · Yarrowsburg 3 mi · Dargan 4 mi · Brownsville 4 mi · Brunswick 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 Sandy Hook (39.3285, -77.7051); 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.