community in Vermont
Honey bee forage in West Pawlet, Vermont
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Vermont. Against other Vermont sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Pawlet?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, 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 West Pawlet, 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): 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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, alfalfa, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jul – early 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 West Pawlet
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.15 mi N; open water 0.2 mi N.
How West Pawlet ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 66th | 64th | 52nd |
| Vermont | 53rd | 48th | 52nd | 85th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 68th | 62nd | 65th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 West Pawlet: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pawlet 4 mi · Wells 5 mi · Dorset 10 mi · Middletown Springs 11 mi · Poultney 11 mi · East Poultney 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 West Pawlet (43.3544, -73.2476); 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.