city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Blue Hill, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Blue Hill?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blue Hill, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 5,522 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,600 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, 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 Blue Hill
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi E.
How Blue Hill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 56th | 92nd | 48th |
| Nebraska | 85th | 96th | 75th | 30th |
| Central Great Plains | 95th | 62nd | 90th | 46th |
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 Blue Hill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ayr 7 mi · Bladen 8 mi · Lawrence 10 mi · Roseland 11 mi · Cowles 11 mi · Holstein 14 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 Blue Hill (40.3331, -98.4484); 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.