community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Carter, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Texas. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Texas sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 3.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carter?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Carter, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion; 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, native wildflowers; 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
- Sorghum: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Carter
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi SW.
How Carter ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 86th | 38th | 71st |
| Texas | 78th | 80th | 82nd | 87th |
| Cross Timbers | 79th | 68th | 62nd | 68th |
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 Carter: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springtown 5 mi · Sanctuary 9 mi · Peaster 9 mi · Reno 10 mi · Weatherford 11 mi · Azle 12 mi
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 Carter (32.9179, -97.7397); 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.