city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Potwin, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (71st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Potwin?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Potwin, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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), 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 641 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 317 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, 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 Potwin
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi SW.
How Potwin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 70th | 86th | 66th |
| Kansas | 80th | 83rd | 76th | 71st |
| Flint Hills | 87th | 81st | 81st | 16th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 48% 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 Potwin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whitewater 7 mi · Elbing 10 mi · Towanda 10 mi · Furley 11 mi · Benton 11 mi · El Dorado 12 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 Potwin (37.9386, -97.0183); 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.