community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Edson, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (58th percentile) and lowest in spring (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sorghum (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 2.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Edson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Edson, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 3,805 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 150 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jul – late 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 Edson
Mostly: Corn; Fallow / idle cropland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.73 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.97 mi NW.
How Edson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 42nd | 77th | 36th |
| Kansas | 42nd | 27th | 58th | 31st |
| High Plains | 72nd | 37th | 81st | 27th |
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 Edson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Goodland 9 mi · Brewster 9 mi · Levant 19 mi · Winona 25 mi · Kanorado 26 mi · Colby 27 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 Edson (39.3349, -101.5495); 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.