town in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Monterey, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 3.6 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Monterey?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Monterey, 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, 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, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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), garden flowers; 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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NW, 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 Monterey
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.57 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Monterey ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 95th | 44th | 45th |
| Tennessee | 61st | 88th | 50th | 87th |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 89th | 96th | 84th | 85th |
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 Monterey: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mayland 8 mi · Algood 11 mi · Pleasant Hill 12 mi · Cookeville 14 mi · Bowman 14 mi · Clarkrange 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 Monterey (36.1446, -85.2643); 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.