city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Alma, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); buckwheat (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alma?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alma, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, buckwheat; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Buckwheat: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Sep (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 Alma
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Central Tallgrass Prairie; Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.31 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi SW.
How Alma ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 84th | 80th | 74th |
| Kansas | 78th | 91st | 63rd | 81st |
| Flint Hills | 84th | 96th | 68th | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Alma: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McFarland 4 mi · Paxico 7 mi · Newbury 8 mi · Wabaunsee 9 mi · Zeandale 13 mi · Wamego 13 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 Alma (39.0157, -96.2871); 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.