village in New York
Honey bee forage in Altamont, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (69th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Altamont?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Altamont, 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 12.
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, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Alfalfa: about 150 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Altamont
Mostly: Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi E.
How Altamont ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 76th | 69th | 66th |
| New York | 80th | 84th | 69th | 82nd |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 55th | 83rd | 36th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Altamont: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Duane Lake 5 mi · Voorheesville 6 mi · Rotterdam 6 mi · Duanesburg 6 mi · Delanson 8 mi · Westmere 8 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 Altamont (42.7053, -74.0336); 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.