community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Marble, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Marble?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Marble, 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 Apr 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 128 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Marble
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.14 mi NW.
How Marble ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 94th | 34th | 38th |
| North Carolina | 52nd | 81st | 34th | 80th |
| Blue Ridge | 86th | 87th | 69th | 31st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Marble: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Andrews 6 mi · Murphy 8 mi · Hayesville 11 mi · Robbinsville 12 mi · Lake Santeetlah 13 mi · Fontana Dam 19 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 Marble (35.177, -83.9265); 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.