community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Elgin, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (73rd percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.6 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.6 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elgin?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elgin, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 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 Elgin
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; open water 0.26 mi SE.
How Elgin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 87th | 30th | 41st |
| Tennessee | 26th | 42nd | 28th | 73rd |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 50th | 57th | 63rd | 70th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Elgin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Robbins 2 mi · Sunbright 7 mi · Helenwood 8 mi · Huntsville 8 mi · Oneida 14 mi · Wartburg 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 Elgin (36.3284, -84.6091); 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.