city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Kimball, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: millet (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kimball?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kimball, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Millet: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 158 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 154 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 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 Kimball
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi SE; open water 0.28 mi N.
How Kimball ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 62nd | 76th | 86th |
| Nebraska | 60th | 98th | 47th | 68th |
| High Plains | 90th | 86th | 77th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Kimball: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dix 9 mi · Bushnell 12 mi · Potter 18 mi · Harrisburg 22 mi · Lorenzo 32 mi · Gurley 36 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 Kimball (41.2324, -103.6519); 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.