city in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Cherokee, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cherokee?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cherokee, 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 Apr 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, garden flowers, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; 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
- Alfalfa: about 291 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms early May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 68 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Cherokee
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.64 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 47% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Cherokee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 76th | 71st | 21st |
| Oklahoma | 70th | 57th | 95th | 14th |
| Central Great Plains | 72nd | 87th | 58th | 24th |
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 Cherokee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lambert 6 mi · Burlington 11 mi · Byron 11 mi · Nescatunga 11 mi · Jet 11 mi · Amorita 12 mi
All towns in Oklahoma · 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 Cherokee (36.7507, -98.3577); 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.