city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Cheney, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cheney?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, 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 Cheney, 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 12.
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, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, cotton, dandelion; 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 169 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (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 Cheney
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Winter Wheat; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi NW; open water 0.41 mi NW.
How Cheney ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 73rd | 79th | 49th |
| Kansas | 68th | 85th | 61st | 46th |
| Central Great Plains | 79th | 85th | 70th | 48th |
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 Cheney: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garden Plain 6 mi · Murdock 8 mi · Goddard 12 mi · Norwich 13 mi · Viola 13 mi · Milton 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 Cheney (37.6353, -97.7797); 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.