community in New York
Honey bee forage in Randolph, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Randolph?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 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 Randolph, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 117 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early May – early Oct (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 Randolph
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.13 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SE.
How Randolph ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 68th | 73rd | 69th |
| New York | 77th | 66th | 77th | 87th |
| Erie Drift Plain | 38th | 57th | 39th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Randolph: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Randolph 1 mi · Kennedy 6 mi · Frewsburg 11 mi · Little Valley 11 mi · Cherry Creek 11 mi · Falconer 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 Randolph (42.1623, -78.9797); 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.