community in Vermont
Honey bee forage in Chelsea, Vermont
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Vermont. Against other Vermont sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Chelsea?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chelsea, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light 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, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Chelsea
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NE; open water 0.09 mi E.
How Chelsea ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 66th | 68th | 55th |
| Vermont | 66th | 47th | 78th | 89th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 77th | 61st | 83rd | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Chelsea: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Williamstown 10 mi · Graniteville 11 mi · East Barre 11 mi · Websterville 12 mi · Randolph 12 mi · South Barre 12 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 Chelsea (43.9917, -72.4512); 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.