city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Hoisington, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hoisington?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (alfalfa, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hoisington, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 1,272 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 62 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – 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 Hoisington
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.15 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi NE.
How Hoisington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 70th | 83rd | 46th |
| Kansas | 70th | 82nd | 69th | 43rd |
| Central Great Plains | 82nd | 82nd | 74th | 44th |
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 Hoisington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Susank 8 mi · Olmitz 9 mi · Odin 9 mi · Beaver 10 mi · Great Bend 11 mi · Galatia 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 Hoisington (38.5181, -98.7774); 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.