community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Fincastle, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fincastle?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fincastle, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 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 Fincastle
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi S.
How Fincastle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 97th | 60th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 80th | 98th | 71st | 54th |
| Ridge and Valley | 97th | 99th | 75th | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Fincastle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
La Follette 5 mi · Jacksboro 9 mi · Caryville 11 mi · Jellico 12 mi · Norris 13 mi · Rocky Top 14 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 Fincastle (36.4038, -84.0479); 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.