village in New York
Honey bee forage in Potsdam, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Potsdam?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, 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 Potsdam, 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; 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 122 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – 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 Potsdam
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SW; open water 0.26 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 62% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Potsdam ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 69th | 74th | 77th |
| New York | 84th | 70th | 80th | 96th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 62nd | 66th | 53rd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Potsdam: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hannawa Falls 5 mi · Norwood 5 mi · Colton 8 mi · Norfolk 8 mi · Madrid 9 mi · Parishville 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 Potsdam (44.6708, -74.9835); 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.