community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Sanford, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sanford?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sanford, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans; 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
- Soybeans: about 160 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Sanford
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Salt Marsh; Southeastern Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi E.
How Sanford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 74th | 46th | 62nd |
| Virginia | 51st | 31st | 58th | 100th |
| Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain | 25th | 33rd | 50th | 98th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 Sanford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Saxis 3 mi · Makemie Park 5 mi · Hallwood 6 mi · Temperanceville 6 mi · Oak Hall 7 mi · Bloxom 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 Sanford (37.9332, -75.6687); 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.