town in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Cerro Gordo, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cerro Gordo?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jun 30, peaking late May (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cerro Gordo, 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 Mar 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), cotton, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 373 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 408 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Cerro Gordo
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi NE.
How Cerro Gordo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 97th | 69th | 14th |
| North Carolina | 96th | 98th | 82nd | 40th |
| Southeastern Plains | 98th | 99th | 90th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Cerro Gordo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Chadbourn 6 mi · Fair Bluff 6 mi · Evergreen 6 mi · Boardman 7 mi · Orrum 11 mi · Marietta 12 mi
All towns in North Carolina · 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 Cerro Gordo (34.3226, -78.9287); 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.