community in New Hampshire
Honey bee forage in Hinsdale, New Hampshire
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in New Hampshire. Against other New Hampshire sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hinsdale?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hinsdale, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 94 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Hinsdale
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest; Appalachian Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi N.
How Hinsdale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 59th | 51st | 49th |
| New Hampshire | 50th | 52nd | 43rd | 86th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 34th | 40th | 24th | 88th |
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 Hinsdale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Winchester 5 mi · West Swanzey 10 mi · Keene 14 mi · Troy 16 mi · Marlborough 16 mi · Walpole 20 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 Hinsdale (42.7921, -72.4879); 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.