village in New York
Honey bee forage in Meridian, 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 (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, 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 Meridian?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Meridian, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Soybeans: about 245 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 556 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Meridian
Mostly: North-Central Interior and Appalachian Rich Swamp; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi W.
How Meridian ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 48th | 88th | 56th |
| New York | 97th | 13th | 99th | 57th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 93rd | 12th | 97th | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Meridian: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cato 1 mi · Jordan 7 mi · Weedsport 8 mi · Port Byron 10 mi · Elbridge 10 mi · Baldwinsville 10 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 Meridian (43.163, -76.5382); 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.