city in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Graham, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Graham?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Graham, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi SW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 4 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 Graham
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 85% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Graham ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 97th | 56th | 39th |
| North Carolina | 84th | 96th | 66th | 80th |
| Piedmont | 96th | 97th | 88th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Graham: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Swepsonville 3 mi · Haw River 3 mi · Burlington 5 mi · Green Level 5 mi · Alamance 6 mi · Glen Raven 6 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 Graham (36.0564, -79.3894); 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.