city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Clifton, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clifton?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clifton, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, soybeans, 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
- Soybeans: about 248 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 191 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Clifton
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi E.
How Clifton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 93rd | 44th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 58th | 71st | 51st | 52nd |
| Interior Plateau | 46th | 71st | 33rd | 50th |
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 Clifton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waynesboro 14 mi · Saltillo 15 mi · Decaturville 16 mi · Olivet 17 mi · Sardis 17 mi · Savannah 17 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 Clifton (35.3773, -87.9912); 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.