community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Max Meadows, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Virginia. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Virginia sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 1.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.1 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Max Meadows?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Max Meadows, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 264 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 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 Max Meadows
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.45 mi NE.
How Max Meadows ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 88th | 63rd | 49th |
| Virginia | 85th | 83rd | 80th | 89th |
| Ridge and Valley | 79th | 76th | 78th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Max Meadows: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Chiswell 2 mi · Wytheville 7 mi · Austinville 9 mi · Ivanhoe 9 mi · Bland 12 mi · Mechanicsburg 12 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 Max Meadows (36.9789, -80.9618); 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.