community in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Rockfish, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (69th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rockfish?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Mar (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rockfish, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, blooms late May – late 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 Rockfish
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi NE.
How Rockfish ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 95th | 59th | 29th |
| North Carolina | 83rd | 90th | 69th | 69th |
| Southeastern Plains | 90th | 94th | 84th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Rockfish: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hope Mills 6 mi · Dundarrach 7 mi · Parkton 7 mi · Lumber Bridge 7 mi · Fayetteville 8 mi · Silver City 9 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 Rockfish (34.9906, -79.0701); 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.