town in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Big Sandy, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Big Sandy?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Big Sandy, 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 Mar 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; 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
- Soybeans: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early 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 Big Sandy
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi E.
How Big Sandy ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 94th | 57th | 15th |
| Tennessee | 64th | 77th | 66th | 13th |
| Southeastern Plains | 82nd | 90th | 82nd | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 63% 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 Big Sandy: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Camden 12 mi · Eva 12 mi · Paris 13 mi · Buchanan 15 mi · New Johnsonville 16 mi · Bruceton 16 mi
All towns in Tennessee · 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 Big Sandy (36.2327, -88.0851); 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.