city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Sparta, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sparta?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sparta, 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, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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 106 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NE, blooms late May – late 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 Sparta
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SE; open water 0.03 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sparta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 97th | 63rd | 32nd |
| Tennessee | 82nd | 97th | 74th | 49th |
| Interior Plateau | 83rd | 97th | 59th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Sparta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bon Air 6 mi · Doyle 6 mi · Spencer 14 mi · Cookeville 15 mi · Pleasant Hill 15 mi · Mayland 17 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 Sparta (35.9347, -85.4726); 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.