city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Simpson, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in spring (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Simpson?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Simpson, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 1,048 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 913 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 62 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 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 Simpson
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi N.
How Simpson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 36th | 89th | 25th |
| Kansas | 70th | 16th | 84th | 21st |
| Central Great Plains | 82nd | 23rd | 84th | 26th |
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 Simpson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Asherville 3 mi · Glasco 5 mi · Beloit 11 mi · Scottsville 11 mi · Delphos 12 mi · Barnard 15 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 Simpson (39.386, -97.934); 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.