community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Riceville, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi SW); corn (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Riceville?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Riceville, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, 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 Riceville
Mostly: Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi E.
How Riceville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 95th | 50th | 30th |
| Tennessee | 64th | 83rd | 60th | 45th |
| Ridge and Valley | 87th | 93rd | 63rd | 21st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Riceville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Calhoun 7 mi · Athens 7 mi · Charleston 8 mi · Etowah 10 mi · Decatur 11 mi · Delano 12 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 Riceville (35.3895, -84.6989); 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.