city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Whitwell, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Whitwell?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Whitwell, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 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 Whitwell
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; open water 0.2 mi S.
How Whitwell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 96th | 46th | 38th |
| Tennessee | 74th | 90th | 55th | 66th |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 96th | 97th | 86th | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Whitwell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Powells Crossroads 2 mi · Griffith Creek 6 mi · Sequatchie 7 mi · Lone Oak 9 mi · Jasper 10 mi · Signal Mountain 11 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 Whitwell (35.1924, -85.5215); 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.