city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Farmer City, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Farmer City?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Farmer City, 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 Apr 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; 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 5,876 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,779 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Farmer City
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.29 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 50% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Farmer City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 67th | 93rd | 47th |
| Illinois | 73rd | 82nd | 46th | 85th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 64th | 91st | 29th | 81st |
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 Farmer City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mansfield 7 mi · De Land 9 mi · De Witt 9 mi · Bellflower 9 mi · Le Roy 9 mi · Weldon 10 mi
All towns in Illinois · 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 Farmer City (40.2485, -88.6417); 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.