community in Vermont
Honey bee forage in East Dorset, Vermont
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Vermont. Against other Vermont sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.6 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East Dorset?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- 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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 East Dorset
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Acadian-Appalachian Montane Spruce-Fir Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How East Dorset ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 83rd | 67th | 39th |
| Vermont | 93rd | 96th | 70th | 57th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 96th | 97th | 77th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 East Dorset: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Manchester Center 4 mi · Dorset 5 mi · Manchester 7 mi · Danby 7 mi · Londonderry 10 mi · Stratton Mountain 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 East Dorset (43.2437, -73.0074); 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.