village in New York
Honey bee forage in Clifton Springs, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clifton Springs?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clifton Springs, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 131 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 145 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 64 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 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 Clifton Springs
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi W.
How Clifton Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 65th | 85th | 65th |
| New York | 97th | 59th | 96th | 81st |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 93rd | 52nd | 89th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Clifton Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Phelps 4 mi · Shortsville 4 mi · Manchester 5 mi · Port Gibson 5 mi · Newark 6 mi · Palmyra 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 Clifton Springs (42.9608, -77.1348); 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.