community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Middlebrook, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Middlebrook?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Middlebrook, 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 22.
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, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; 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 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Middlebrook
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.36 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.43 mi SE.
How Middlebrook ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 75th | 67th | 45th |
| Virginia | 73rd | 35th | 86th | 77th |
| Ridge and Valley | 66th | 48th | 83rd | 55th |
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 Middlebrook: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Augusta Springs 6 mi · Greenville 6 mi · Craigsville 9 mi · Jolivue 10 mi · Staunton 11 mi · Stuarts Draft 11 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 Middlebrook (38.0669, -79.234); 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.