village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Hershey, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Hershey?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hershey, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, 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 7,240 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 229 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 116 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, 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 Hershey
Mostly: Corn; Western Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi E.
How Hershey ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 54th | 88th | 50th |
| Nebraska | 68th | 95th | 65th | 32nd |
| Central Great Plains | 84th | 57th | 81st | 49th |
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 Hershey: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sutherland 6 mi · North Platte 13 mi · Sarben 16 mi · Paxton 19 mi · Wallace 24 mi · Maxwell 25 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 Hershey (41.1602, -100.9985); 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.