community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Princeton Meadows, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in summer (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (69th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Princeton Meadows?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Princeton Meadows, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 922 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Princeton Meadows
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi SE; open water 0.07 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 68% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Princeton Meadows ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 90th | 81st | 62nd |
| New Jersey | 96th | 86th | 91st | 69th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 95th | 90th | 90th | 57th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Princeton Meadows: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Plainsboro Center 1 mi · Cranbury 3 mi · Monmouth Junction 3 mi · Princeton Junction 3 mi · Heathcote 4 mi · Kingston 4 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 Princeton Meadows (40.3356, -74.5647); 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.