community in Maine
Honey bee forage in Fort Kent, Maine
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Maine. Against other Maine sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: buckwheat (nearest 1.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Kent?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, buckwheat)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Kent, 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 Jun 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, buckwheat, 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), 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
- Buckwheat: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Oct (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 Fort Kent
Mostly: Unmapped; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi S.
How Fort Kent ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 42nd | 73rd | 84th |
| Maine | 89th | 19th | 96th | 98th |
| Acadian Plains and Hills | 94th | 17th | 98th | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 Fort Kent: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Madawaska 13 mi · Eagle Lake 15 mi · Grand Isle 20 mi · Van Buren 31 mi · Washburn 38 mi · Caribou 42 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 Fort Kent (47.2517, -68.5872); 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.