community in Vermont
Honey bee forage in Dorset, Vermont
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Vermont. Against other Vermont sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in spring (78th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dorset?
- 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, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dorset, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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, 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 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Dorset
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Acadian-Appalachian Montane Spruce-Fir Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SW; open water 0.14 mi N.
How Dorset ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 74th | 71st | 57th |
| Vermont | 93rd | 78th | 92nd | 93rd |
| Northeastern Highlands | 96th | 84th | 92nd | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Dorset: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Dorset 5 mi · Manchester Center 6 mi · Pawlet 6 mi · Manchester 7 mi · Danby 8 mi · West Pawlet 10 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 Dorset (43.2605, -73.1084); 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.