community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Helenwood, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Helenwood?
- 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: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Helenwood, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SE, 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 Helenwood
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi W; open water 0.26 mi S.
How Helenwood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 86th | 32nd | 44th |
| Tennessee | 26th | 37th | 32nd | 85th |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 51st | 51st | 67th | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Helenwood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Huntsville 3 mi · Robbins 6 mi · Oneida 6 mi · Elgin 8 mi · Winfield 11 mi · Sunbright 15 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 Helenwood (36.4342, -84.5534); 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.