community in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in spring and fall (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bird-in-Hand?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bird-in-Hand, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, pumpkins; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 161 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Bird-in-Hand
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi W.
How Bird-in-Hand ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 65th | 86th | 53rd |
| Pennsylvania | 96th | 60th | 96th | 60th |
| Northern Piedmont | 78th | 17th | 91st | 53rd |
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 Bird-in-Hand: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Smoketown 1 mi · Ronks 1 mi · Witmer 1 mi · Soudersburg 2 mi · Gordonville 3 mi · Strasburg 4 mi
All towns in Pennsylvania · 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 Bird-in-Hand (40.0367, -76.1895); 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.