city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Milford, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in fall (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Milford?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Milford, 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 18.
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): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Milford
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Open water; Central Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi SE.
How Milford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 57th | 63rd | 63rd |
| Kansas | 35th | 66th | 19th | 68th |
| Flint Hills | 1st | 25th | 33rd | 14th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Milford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wakefield 7 mi · Fort Riley 7 mi · Bala 10 mi · Riley 10 mi · Junction City 11 mi · Keats 11 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 Milford (39.1729, -96.9104); 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.