city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Valley Falls, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Valley Falls?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Valley Falls, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra 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 297 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi W, blooms early Jun – 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 Valley Falls
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi S; open water 0.21 mi S.
How Valley Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 92nd | 80th | 49th |
| Kansas | 81st | 96th | 64th | 46th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 13th | 99th | 3rd | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Valley Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ozawkie 7 mi · Nortonville 9 mi · Denison 10 mi · Winchester 10 mi · Oskaloosa 12 mi · Meriden 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 Valley Falls (39.3393, -95.4612); 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.