town in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Gerster, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 24% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gerster?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gerster, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Corn: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 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 Gerster
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi E.
How Gerster ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 88th | 49th | 59th |
| Missouri | 24th | 75th | 21st | 80th |
| Ozark Highlands | 51st | 54th | 54th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Gerster: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Weaubleau 5 mi · Collins 5 mi · Vista 5 mi · Osceola 9 mi · Wheatland 10 mi · Humansville 11 mi
All towns in Missouri · National map · How the scoring works
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 Gerster (37.9551, -93.5768); 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.