city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Smolan, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Smolan?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Smolan, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 118 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 182 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 104 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (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 Smolan
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi SE.
How Smolan ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 48th | 86th | 22nd |
| Kansas | 66th | 42nd | 75th | 17th |
| Central Great Plains | 78th | 47th | 78th | 24th |
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 Smolan: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mentor 5 mi · Bavaria 5 mi · Falun 6 mi · Assaria 6 mi · Salina 6 mi · Bridgeport 9 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 Smolan (38.7381, -97.6844); 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.