community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in New Salem, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Kansas. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Kansas sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in New Salem?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Salem, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), cotton; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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 104 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 116 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early 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 New Salem
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.1 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi S.
How New Salem ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 67th | 86th | 70th |
| Kansas | 79th | 81st | 76th | 76th |
| Flint Hills | 86th | 72nd | 81st | 21st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 New Salem: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Winfield 7 mi · Burden 7 mi · Atlanta 11 mi · Rock 11 mi · Cambridge 12 mi · Dexter 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 New Salem (37.3143, -96.8897); 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.