village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Ashton, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ashton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ashton, 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 May 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 3,853 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,221 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – late 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 Ashton
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi NW.
How Ashton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 49th | 89th | 63rd |
| Nebraska | 73rd | 91st | 69th | 43rd |
| Central Great Plains | 88th | 49th | 84th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Ashton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Farwell 9 mi · Rockville 9 mi · Loup City 9 mi · Cotesfield 11 mi · Elba 12 mi · Howard City (Boelus) 13 mi
All towns in Nebraska · 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 Ashton (41.2477, -98.7951); 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.