community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Falling Water, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 41% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Falling Water?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Falling Water, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NE, 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 Falling Water
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi N.
How Falling Water ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 90th | 32nd | 44th |
| Tennessee | 41st | 55th | 31st | 85th |
| Ridge and Valley | 64th | 83rd | 22nd | 54th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 76% 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 Falling Water: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Middle Valley 4 mi · Walden 4 mi · Fairmount 4 mi · Mowbray Mountain 6 mi · Signal Mountain 6 mi · Lone Oak 6 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 Falling Water (35.1959, -85.2594); 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.