community in New York
Honey bee forage in Rifton, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 22% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in spring (62nd percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); apples (nearest 3.1 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Rifton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rifton, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Apples: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi E, blooms late Apr – early May
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 Rifton
Mostly: Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.04 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi SE.
How Rifton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 66th | 40th | 44th |
| New York | 22nd | 62nd | 6th | 33rd |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 30th | 50th | 16th | 23rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Rifton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tillson 2 mi · Rosendale 2 mi · High Falls 4 mi · Hurley 6 mi · New Paltz 6 mi · Port Ewen 6 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 Rifton (41.8297, -74.038); 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.