community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Harper, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 2.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Harper?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 15, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Harper, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), native wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi NE, blooms early May – 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 Harper
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Shrubland; Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.84 mi SE.
How Harper ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 78th | 24th | 73rd |
| Texas | 57th | 61st | 52nd | 89th |
| Edwards Plateau | 61st | 60th | 76th | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 97% 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 Harper: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ingram 13 mi · Kerrville 18 mi · Fredericksburg 24 mi · Center Point 27 mi · Comfort 30 mi · Mason 33 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 Harper (30.266, -99.2728); 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.