village in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Lower Salem, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 24% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (11th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.3 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lower Salem?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lower Salem, 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 Apr 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi SW, blooms early Jun – 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 Lower Salem
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi SE.
How Lower Salem ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 95th | 48th | 44th |
| Ohio | 24th | 96th | 11th | 60th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 79th | 94th | 52nd | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 Lower Salem: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Macksburg 6 mi · Lowell 7 mi · Devola 8 mi · Dexter City 8 mi · Marietta 10 mi · Stafford 12 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 Lower Salem (39.5651, -81.3925); 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.