city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Hickory Ridge, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hickory Ridge?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hickory Ridge, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 8,161 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SW, 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 Hickory Ridge
Mostly: Rice; Soybeans; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NE; open water 0.25 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 36% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Hickory Ridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 83rd | 89th | 3rd |
| Arkansas | 86th | 44th | 89th | 8th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 57th | 40th | 70th | 19th |
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 Hickory Ridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fisher 6 mi · Beedeville 7 mi · Fair Oaks 11 mi · Waldenburg 12 mi · Cherry Valley 13 mi · Amagon 13 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 Hickory Ridge (35.4028, -90.9945); 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.