community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Ashland, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); blueberries (nearest 2.7 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Ashland?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashland, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Blueberries: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi NE, blooms early Apr – early May
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 Ashland
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Blueberries: insecticides used on about 74% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Ashland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 93rd | 71st | 65th |
| New Jersey | 86th | 93rd | 73rd | 80th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 85th | 95th | 71st | 68th |
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 Ashland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tavistock 1 mi · Lawnside 1 mi · Barclay 2 mi · Haddonfield 2 mi · Springdale 2 mi · Magnolia 2 mi
All towns in New Jersey · 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 Ashland (39.8762, -75.0083); 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.