village in New York
Honey bee forage in Alden, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alden?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alden, 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, alfalfa, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; 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), alfalfa; 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
- Corn: about 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Alden
Mostly: North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SW.
How Alden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 69th | 70th | 65th |
| New York | 73rd | 71st | 70th | 81st |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 43rd | 67th | 38th | 66th |
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 Alden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Town Line 4 mi · Corfu 6 mi · Clarence 7 mi · Akron 8 mi · Elma Center 9 mi · Lancaster 9 mi
All towns in New York · 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 Alden (42.8989, -78.4946); 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.