community in New York
Honey bee forage in Jefferson, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (51st percentile) and lowest in spring (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Jefferson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Jefferson, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Jefferson
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi N.
How Jefferson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 55th | 57th | 54th |
| New York | 25th | 30th | 31st | 51st |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 41st | 53rd | 45th | 36th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Jefferson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stamford 5 mi · North Blenheim 8 mi · Hobart 8 mi · Richmondville 11 mi · East Worcester 11 mi · Worcester 12 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 Jefferson (42.4782, -74.6033); 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.