community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Sewanee, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sewanee?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sewanee, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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, garden flowers; 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Sewanee
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) 0.17 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi E.
How Sewanee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 94th | 34th | 48th |
| Tennessee | 51st | 80th | 37th | 93rd |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 81st | 91st | 71st | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Sewanee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Monteagle 5 mi · Cowan 6 mi · Sherwood 9 mi · Decherd 9 mi · Pelham 10 mi · Tracy City 10 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 Sewanee (35.1979, -85.9215); 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.