community in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Preston, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in fall (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 3.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Preston?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Preston, 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 Mar 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi SE, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 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 Preston
Mostly: Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.14 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi N.
How Preston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 86th | 42nd | 75th |
| Oklahoma | 72nd | 72nd | 56th | 76th |
| Cross Timbers | 73rd | 66th | 82nd | 77th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Preston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Beggs 5 mi · Winchester 5 mi · Okmulgee 6 mi · Liberty 10 mi · Morris 10 mi · Mounds 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 Preston (35.7114, -95.9889); 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.