community in New Hampshire
Honey bee forage in Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in New Hampshire. Against other New Hampshire sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hillsborough?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hillsborough, 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 May 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): 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
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 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 Hillsborough
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SE.
How Hillsborough ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 62nd | 61st | 60th |
| New Hampshire | 76th | 65th | 74th | 94th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 59th | 50th | 54th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Hillsborough: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Antrim 6 mi · Henniker 6 mi · Bennington 8 mi · Francestown 10 mi · Hancock 11 mi · Bradford 11 mi
All towns in New Hampshire · 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 Hillsborough (43.1156, -71.8968); 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.