village in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Kelso, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in summer (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kelso?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kelso, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 204 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 354 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 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 Kelso
Mostly: Corn; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Dbl Crop WinWht/Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; open water 0.49 mi SW.
How Kelso ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 73rd | 93rd | 12th |
| Missouri | 93rd | 35th | 85th | 6th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 88th | 71st | 64th | 20th |
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 Kelso: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Scott City 2 mi · New Hamburg 5 mi · Commerce 6 mi · Chaffee 6 mi · Benton 6 mi · Lambert 7 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 Kelso (37.1922, -89.5504); 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.