community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Ashland, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ashland?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jun (alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashland, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 3 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 Ashland
Mostly: Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi SE.
How Ashland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 37th | 64th | 73rd |
| Maine | 59th | 6th | 76th | 96th |
| Acadian Plains and Hills | 67th | 4th | 89th | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 69% 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 Ashland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mapleton 12 mi · Washburn 17 mi · Presque Isle 20 mi · Mars Hill 26 mi · Blaine 26 mi · Caribou 26 mi
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 Ashland (46.6169, -68.3928); 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.