city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Liberal, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Liberal?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Liberal, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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
- Sorghum: about 914 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 110 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Liberal
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Winter Wheat; Sorghum.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.61 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.62 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 93% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Liberal ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 95th | 69th | 57th |
| Kansas | 74th | 98th | 35th | 58th |
| High Plains | 98th | 100th | 59th | 47th |
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 Liberal: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kismet 17 mi · Plains 24 mi · Hugoton 25 mi · Moscow 25 mi · Satanta 27 mi · Sublette 30 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 Liberal (37.0461, -100.9277); 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.