city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Elgin, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in summer (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elgin?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elgin, 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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 16,334 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2,345 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, 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 Elgin
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.14 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi SE.
How Elgin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 43rd | 94th | 37th |
| Nebraska | 89th | 82nd | 83rd | 24th |
| Central Great Plains | 97th | 36th | 94th | 36th |
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 Elgin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Raeville 6 mi · Oakdale 8 mi · Petersburg 9 mi · Neligh 10 mi · Tilden 14 mi · Clearwater 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 Elgin (41.9831, -98.0828); 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.