city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Newcastle, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Newcastle?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Newcastle, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), 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
- Sorghum: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi NW, blooms late May – early Jun (grown 3 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 Newcastle
Mostly: Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Western Great Plains Mesquite Shrubland; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi W.
How Newcastle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 90th | 31st | 15th |
| Texas | 73rd | 87th | 72nd | 18th |
| Central Great Plains | 72nd | 99th | 13th | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% 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 Newcastle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Graham 12 mi · Olney 12 mi · Loving 13 mi · Elbert 16 mi · Bryson 21 mi · Megargel 21 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 Newcastle (33.1962, -98.7435); 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.