city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Cedar Vale, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cedar Vale?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cedar Vale, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 62 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 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 Cedar Vale
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.41 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.42 mi W.
How Cedar Vale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 95th | 70th | 67th |
| Kansas | 77th | 98th | 37th | 72nd |
| Flint Hills | 83rd | 100th | 47th | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Cedar Vale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dexter 13 mi · Elgin 14 mi · Grenola 17 mi · Cambridge 17 mi · Sedan 18 mi · Chautauqua 19 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 Cedar Vale (37.1051, -96.5026); 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.