community in New York
Honey bee forage in Brooktondale, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brooktondale?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brooktondale, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, 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), 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
- Alfalfa: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Brooktondale
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.07 mi S.
How Brooktondale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 62nd | 65th | 66th |
| New York | 50th | 50th | 54th | 81st |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 78th | 85th | 71st | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Brooktondale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Slaterville Springs 3 mi · Danby 4 mi · East Ithaca 4 mi · South Hill 5 mi · Varna 5 mi · Forest Home 6 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 Brooktondale (42.382, -76.397); 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.