village in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Bluffton, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Bluffton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bluffton, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; 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 8,114 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,454 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Bluffton
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bluffton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 72nd | 91st | 56th |
| Ohio | 71st | 51st | 61st | 87th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 50th | 79th | 31st | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Bluffton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Cory 4 mi · Pandora 5 mi · Beaverdam 6 mi · Rawson 7 mi · Jenera 8 mi · Gilboa 9 mi
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 Bluffton (40.892, -83.8878); 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.