city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Cross Plains, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cross Plains?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cross Plains, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, 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, dandelion, 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 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms late May – late 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 Cross Plains
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Dbl Crop WinWht/Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.36 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.46 mi S.
How Cross Plains ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 93rd | 76th | 17th |
| Tennessee | 82nd | 74th | 84th | 16th |
| Interior Plateau | 84th | 75th | 79th | 12th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Cross Plains: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Orlinda 4 mi · White House 5 mi · Walnut Grove 5 mi · New Deal 7 mi · Portland 9 mi · Mitchellville 10 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 Cross Plains (36.5412, -86.6766); 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.