city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Bluff City, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bluff City?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bluff City, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Bluff City
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.56 mi N.
How Bluff City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 97th | 59th | 30th |
| Tennessee | 75th | 94th | 69th | 46th |
| Ridge and Valley | 93rd | 98th | 73rd | 22nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Bluff City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blountville 6 mi · Watauga 6 mi · Biltmore 7 mi · Walnut Hill 8 mi · Bristol 8 mi · Hunter 8 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 Bluff City (36.4595, -82.2779); 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.