city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Ord, 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 (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ord?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ord, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Corn: about 3,901 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, 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 Ord
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Western Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi E.
How Ord ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 62nd | 78th | 73rd |
| Nebraska | 60th | 98th | 50th | 52nd |
| Central Great Plains | 75th | 74th | 68th | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Ord: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elyria 7 mi · North Loup 11 mi · Scotia 15 mi · Arcadia 16 mi · Burwell 17 mi · Comstock 17 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 Ord (41.6028, -98.9193); 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.