community in Virginia
Honey bee forage in Shenandoah Farms, Virginia
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Virginia. Against other Virginia sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 3.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shenandoah Farms?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shenandoah Farms, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 202 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Shenandoah Farms
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi E.
How Shenandoah Farms ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 88th | 41st | 51st |
| Virginia | 69th | 87th | 47th | 94th |
| Blue Ridge | 74th | 57th | 82nd | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 82% 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 Shenandoah Farms: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Skyland Estates 4 mi · Apple Mountain Lake 5 mi · Shenandoah Shores 5 mi · Paris 6 mi · Front Royal 8 mi · Boyce 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 Shenandoah Farms (38.9753, -78.0476); 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.