community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Buchanan, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Buchanan?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Buchanan, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 436 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early 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 Buchanan
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi NE.
How Buchanan ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 90th | 69th | 20th |
| Tennessee | 71st | 56th | 79th | 22nd |
| Southeastern Plains | 86th | 83rd | 90th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Buchanan: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Puryear 7 mi · Whitlock 10 mi · Paris 11 mi · Big Sandy 15 mi · Cottage Grove 16 mi · Henry 20 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 Buchanan (36.434, -88.2028); 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.