town in Utah
Honey bee forage in Independence, Utah
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Utah. Against other Utah sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.5 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Independence?
- First forage: Apr 1 (willows)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Independence, 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 Jun 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, willows, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed, asters; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, willows; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Independence
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland; Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Aspen-Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi E.
How Independence ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 31st | 81st | 63rd |
| Utah | 92nd | 81st | 96th | 53rd |
| Wasatch and Uinta Mountains | 88th | 77th | 94th | 33rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Independence: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Timber Lakes 5 mi · Wallsburg 7 mi · Daniel 7 mi · Charleston 9 mi · Heber 10 mi · Midway 12 mi
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 Independence (40.4108, -111.2957); 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.