borough in Pennsylvania
Honey bee forage in Rural Valley, Pennsylvania
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Pennsylvania. Against other Pennsylvania sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rural Valley?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rural Valley, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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
- Soybeans: about 94 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Rural Valley
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SW.
How Rural Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 79th | 63rd | 57th |
| Pennsylvania | 72nd | 87th | 60th | 77th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 49th | 17th | 79th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Rural Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Yatesboro 1 mi · Sagamore 5 mi · Atwood 5 mi · Dayton 7 mi · Plumville 7 mi · Elderton 7 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 Rural Valley (40.7991, -79.3149); 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.