town in Texas
Honey bee forage in Poetry, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 3.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Poetry?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Poetry, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 297 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi W, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi SE, 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 Poetry
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NW.
How Poetry ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 96th | 37th | 42nd |
| Texas | 90th | 97th | 82nd | 51st |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 72nd | 89th | 76th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Poetry: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Union Valley 8 mi · McLendon-Chisholm 8 mi · Terrell 8 mi · Quinlan 9 mi · Elmo 9 mi · Royse City 10 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 Poetry (32.8394, -96.2595); 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.