city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Jackson, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Jackson?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Jackson, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 1,089 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 124 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Jackson
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; open water 0.08 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 84% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Jackson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 97th | 77th | 44th |
| Missouri | 69th | 97th | 50th | 43rd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 44th | 100th | 17th | 83rd |
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 Jackson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gordonville 5 mi · Cape Girardeau 7 mi · Millersville 8 mi · Dutchtown 8 mi · Pocahontas 8 mi · Burfordville 9 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 Jackson (37.3799, -89.6541); 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.