community in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Swink, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Swink?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Swink, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jul (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 Swink
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi S.
How Swink ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 98th | 40th | 15th |
| Oklahoma | 96th | 97th | 47th | 8th |
| South Central Plains | 97th | 99th | 96th | 9th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Swink: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Towson 4 mi · Valliant 7 mi · Sawyer 10 mi · Millerton 10 mi · Wright City 12 mi · Garvin 16 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 Swink (34.0173, -95.2018); 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.