village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Elm Creek, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Elm Creek?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elm Creek, 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, alfalfa; extra 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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 593 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,013 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early 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 Elm Creek
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Western Great Plains Floodplain Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi N; open water 0.28 mi E.
How Elm Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 52nd | 92nd | 48th |
| Nebraska | 83rd | 95th | 74th | 31st |
| Central Great Plains | 94th | 55th | 89th | 47th |
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 Elm Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Odessa 7 mi · Overton 9 mi · Amherst 10 mi · Riverdale 12 mi · Miller 14 mi · Kearney 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 Elm Creek (40.7201, -99.3756); 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.