city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Cambridge, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SW); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cambridge?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cambridge, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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 1,369 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 92 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early 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 Cambridge
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi NE.
How Cambridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 69th | 84th | 60th |
| Nebraska | 68th | 99th | 59th | 38th |
| Central Great Plains | 84th | 82nd | 76th | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Cambridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bartley 8 mi · Holbrook 8 mi · Wilsonville 12 mi · Indianola 14 mi · Arapahoe 14 mi · Hendley 15 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 Cambridge (40.2843, -100.1658); 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.