village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Bartley, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bartley?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bartley, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 447 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Bartley
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi NW.
How Bartley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 58th | 85th | 55th |
| Nebraska | 65th | 97th | 60th | 35th |
| Central Great Plains | 80th | 67th | 77th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Bartley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Indianola 6 mi · Cambridge 8 mi · Lebanon 14 mi · Wilsonville 14 mi · Danbury 16 mi · Holbrook 16 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 Bartley (40.2511, -100.3104); 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.