city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Gem, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring and summer (59th percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gem?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gem, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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), 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, soybeans; 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 8,029 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Gem
Mostly: Corn; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.54 mi NW; pond, lake or river 1.18 mi NW.
How Gem ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 55th | 78th | 47th |
| Kansas | 54th | 59th | 59th | 44th |
| High Plains | 85th | 73rd | 82nd | 36th |
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 Gem: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Colby 8 mi · Rexford 9 mi · Menlo 10 mi · Levant 16 mi · Selden 19 mi · Oakley 21 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 Gem (39.426, -100.8972); 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.