community in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Fair Oaks, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.6 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fair Oaks?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (soybeans)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fair Oaks, 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 Mar 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 15,281 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 224 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Fair Oaks
Mostly: Soybeans; Rice; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 39% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Fair Oaks ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 81st | 87th | 3rd |
| Arkansas | 83rd | 41st | 87th | 10th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 48th | 38th | 65th | 22nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Fair Oaks: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McCrory 9 mi · Hickory Ridge 11 mi · Patterson 11 mi · Beedeville 13 mi · Wynne 14 mi · Hunter 14 mi
All towns in Arkansas · National map · How the scoring works
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 Fair Oaks (35.248, -91.036); 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.