community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Horse Pasture, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Horse Pasture?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Horse Pasture, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi W, 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 Horse Pasture
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest; Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi N.
How Horse Pasture ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 84th | 37th | 12th |
| Virginia | 45th | 70th | 37th | 18th |
| Piedmont | 50th | 58th | 62nd | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Horse Pasture: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fieldale 5 mi · Villa Heights 6 mi · Martinsville 6 mi · Ridgeway 6 mi · Collinsville 7 mi · Stanleytown 8 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 Horse Pasture (36.6322, -79.9523); 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.