city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Caldwell, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Caldwell?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Caldwell, 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 6.
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, cotton, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, cotton; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 77 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms early 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 Caldwell
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Riparian Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi E.
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 Caldwell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 84th | 76th | 48th |
| Kansas | 70th | 92nd | 53rd | 45th |
| Central Great Plains | 81st | 97th | 66th | 47th |
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 Caldwell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hunnewell 11 mi · South Haven 11 mi · Bluff City 15 mi · Milan 16 mi · Mayfield 16 mi · Argonia 18 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 Caldwell (37.0349, -97.6088); 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.