village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Broadwater, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Broadwater?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Broadwater, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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
- Corn: about 275 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 333 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 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 Broadwater
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi NW.
How Broadwater ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 56th | 80th | 65th |
| Nebraska | 60th | 97th | 54th | 45th |
| High Plains | 90th | 77th | 87th | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Broadwater: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bridgeport 13 mi · Lisco 14 mi · Dalton 14 mi · Gurley 20 mi · Bayard 27 mi · Oshkosh 29 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 Broadwater (41.598, -102.8525); 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.