community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Sale Creek, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 16% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it ranks highest in fall (43rd percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sale Creek?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sale Creek, 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 Mar 29.
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, 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): 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
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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 324 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 5 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 Sale Creek
Mostly: Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi SW.
How Sale Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 80th | 28th | 28th |
| Tennessee | 16th | 19th | 24th | 43rd |
| Ridge and Valley | 36th | 59th | 13th | 20th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Sale Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Graysville 4 mi · Flat Top Mountain 8 mi · Dayton 9 mi · Soddy-Daisy 10 mi · Mowbray Mountain 11 mi · Lakesite 13 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 Sale Creek (35.3864, -85.0824); 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.