community in Vermont
Honey bee forage in Benson, Vermont
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Vermont. Against other Vermont sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Benson?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Benson, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Soybeans: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NE, blooms early May – early Oct (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Benson
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi E.
How Benson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 71st | 62nd | 60th |
| Vermont | 66th | 67th | 43rd | 94th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands | 26th | 70th | 16th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Benson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Castleton Four Corners 8 mi · Fair Haven 8 mi · Castleton 9 mi · Brandon 13 mi · Proctor 13 mi · East Poultney 13 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 Benson (43.7101, -73.303); 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.