village in New York
Honey bee forage in Liberty, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi S); alfalfa (nearest 3.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Liberty?
- 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)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Liberty, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Liberty
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Liberty ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 65th | 67th | 68th |
| New York | 61st | 57th | 64th | 85th |
| Northern Allegheny Plateau | 86th | 92nd | 78th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Liberty: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Swan Lake 3 mi · Loch Sheldrake 5 mi · Hurleyville 5 mi · Livingston Manor 8 mi · Fallsburg 8 mi · Woodbourne 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 Liberty (41.7966, -74.7432); 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.