community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Vista Center, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Vista Center?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Vista Center, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Vista Center
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Peat Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.09 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 52% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Vista Center ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 83rd | 59th | 60th |
| New Jersey | 53rd | 72nd | 45th | 60th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 53rd | 74th | 41st | 49th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Vista Center: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Freehold 5 mi · Lakewood 7 mi · Freehold 7 mi · Farmingdale 8 mi · Cedar Glen West 9 mi · Roosevelt 9 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 Vista Center (40.159, -74.3223); 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.