community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Gorman, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in fall (54th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gorman?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gorman, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (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 Gorman
Mostly: Open water; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SW; open water 0.11 mi SW.
How Gorman ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 88th | 35th | 19th |
| North Carolina | 37th | 50th | 35th | 54th |
| Piedmont | 63rd | 70th | 58th | 81st |
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 Gorman: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Durham 7 mi · Butner 7 mi · Creedmoor 9 mi · Stem 12 mi · Rougemont 13 mi · Morrisville 14 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 Gorman (36.0418, -78.8069); 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.