city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Garfield, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Garfield?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Garfield, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; 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, alfalfa; 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
- Sorghum: about 708 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 121 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 39 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Garfield
Mostly: Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SE.
How Garfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 73rd | 66th | 50th |
| Kansas | 54th | 84th | 26th | 48th |
| Central Great Plains | 69th | 85th | 51st | 49th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Garfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lewis 10 mi · Larned 11 mi · Belpre 12 mi · Rozel 12 mi · Kinsley 14 mi · Macksville 17 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 Garfield (38.0771, -99.2445); 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.