town in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Vanleer, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.9 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.7 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Vanleer?
- 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, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Vanleer, 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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi SE, blooms late May – late 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 Vanleer
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi N.
How Vanleer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 93rd | 34th | 43rd |
| Tennessee | 47th | 70th | 34th | 80th |
| Interior Plateau | 31st | 71st | 17th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Vanleer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Slayden 4 mi · Charlotte 7 mi · Dickson 13 mi · McEwen 14 mi · Burns 14 mi · Cumberland City 15 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 Vanleer (36.2367, -87.4483); 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.