town in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Fincastle, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fincastle?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fincastle, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Corn: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Fincastle
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.44 mi NE.
How Fincastle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 91st | 50th | 30th |
| Virginia | 80th | 92nd | 64th | 47th |
| Ridge and Valley | 72nd | 85th | 63rd | 22nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Fincastle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Troutville 6 mi · Daleville 6 mi · Blue Ridge 9 mi · Laymantown 10 mi · Buchanan 10 mi · Cloverdale 10 mi
All towns in Virginia · 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 Fincastle (37.5016, -79.8748); 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.