town in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Obion, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Obion?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Obion, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 7,720 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,059 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 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 Obion
Mostly: East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SW.
How Obion ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 95th | 87th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 95th | 84th | 92nd | 53rd |
| Mississippi Valley Loess Plains | 88th | 86th | 80th | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Obion: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Trimble 4 mi · Troy 6 mi · Hornbeak 8 mi · Kenton 10 mi · Rives 10 mi · Newbern 11 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 Obion (36.2558, -89.1826); 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.