community in New York
Honey bee forage in Ghent, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (77th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ghent?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ghent, 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 9.
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, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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
- Corn: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 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 Ghent
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi NE.
How Ghent ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 72nd | 63rd | 64th |
| New York | 63rd | 76th | 50th | 77th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 73rd | 70th | 75th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 Ghent: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Chatham 3 mi · Philmont 5 mi · Kinderhook 7 mi · Valatie 7 mi · Stottville 8 mi · Claverack-Red Mills 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 Ghent (42.3235, -73.6194); 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.