city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Van Buren, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Van Buren?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Van Buren, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March 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
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 232 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi S, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi W, 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 Van Buren
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.23 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 90% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Van Buren ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 97th | 54th | 46th |
| Arkansas | 75th | 91st | 70th | 79th |
| Arkansas Valley | 88th | 82nd | 92nd | 75th |
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 Van Buren: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dora 4 mi · Kibler 7 mi · Fort Smith 7 mi · Rudy 8 mi · Alma 8 mi · Cedarville 9 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 Van Buren (35.4512, -94.354); 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.