city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Cozad, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cozad?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cozad, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 6,473 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 237 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 133 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 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 Cozad
Mostly: Western Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous; Corn; Western Great Plains Floodplain Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.44 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.44 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cozad ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 64th | 86th | 58th |
| Nebraska | 69th | 98th | 62nd | 37th |
| Central Great Plains | 84th | 76th | 78th | 61st |
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 Cozad: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Willow Island 5 mi · Gothenburg 10 mi · Eustis 14 mi · Lexington 14 mi · Farnam 16 mi · Elwood 20 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 Cozad (40.8613, -99.9864); 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.