city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Glen Elder, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (69th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Glen Elder?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Glen Elder, 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 22.
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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some 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 240 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 398 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Glen Elder
Mostly: Open water; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi NE.
How Glen Elder ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 57th | 83rd | 48th |
| Kansas | 64th | 65th | 69th | 45th |
| Central Great Plains | 77th | 65th | 74th | 46th |
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 Glen Elder: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cawker City 7 mi · Beloit 11 mi · Ionia 11 mi · Downs 13 mi · Tipton 14 mi · Jewell 14 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 Glen Elder (39.5002, -98.3065); 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.