community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Hamshire, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hamshire?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hamshire, 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 Feb 18.
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, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 88 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi N, blooms early Apr – early 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 Hamshire
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp; Southeastern Exotic Ruderal Flooded & Swamp Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi W.
How Hamshire ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 95th | 30th | 10th |
| Texas | 100th | 96th | 71st | 14th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 97th | 97th | 78th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Hamshire: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Winnie 4 mi · Stowell 6 mi · Fannett 7 mi · Taylor Landing 12 mi · China 14 mi · Nome 14 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 Hamshire (29.8548, -94.3207); 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.