community in New York
Honey bee forage in Northampton, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 13% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (76th percentile) and lowest in spring (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 3.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Northampton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Northampton, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 3.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Popcorn and ornamental corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi SW, 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 Northampton
Mostly: Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Maritime Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.52 mi S.
How Northampton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 28th | 48th | 48th | 63rd |
| New York | 13th | 13th | 15th | 76th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 13th | 12th | 27th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Northampton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riverside 2 mi · Westhampton 2 mi · Eastport 4 mi · Remsenburg-Speonk 4 mi · Flanders 4 mi · Quiogue 5 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 Northampton (40.8752, -72.6841); 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.