city in Vermont
Honey bee forage in Barre, Vermont
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Vermont. Against other Vermont sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Barre?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Barre, 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 May 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 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 Barre
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock-Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 70% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Barre ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 60th | 73rd | 76th |
| Vermont | 79th | 28th | 95th | 100th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 86th | 43rd | 95th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Barre: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Barre 3 mi · Websterville 3 mi · Graniteville 4 mi · East Barre 5 mi · East Montpelier 5 mi · Montpelier 6 mi
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 Barre (44.1991, -72.508); 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.