city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Union City, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in summer (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Union City?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Union City, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 6,404 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,103 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SW, 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 Union City
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.41 mi N.
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 Union City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 96th | 88th | 26th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 91st | 93rd | 37th |
| Mississippi Valley Loess Plains | 91st | 91st | 82nd | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Union City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Woodland Mills 5 mi · Rives 5 mi · Troy 9 mi · South Fulton 10 mi · Martin 13 mi · Obion 14 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 Union City (36.4271, -89.0477); 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.