community in California
Honey bee forage in Blairsden, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Blairsden?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), kinnikinnick)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Blairsden, 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 May 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Blairsden
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; California Montane Woodland and Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Blairsden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 75th | 70th | 57th |
| California | 66th | 50th | 95th | 90th |
| Sierra Nevada | 89th | 67th | 88th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Blairsden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
C-Road 2 mi · Mohawk Vista 2 mi · Graeagle 2 mi · Clio 3 mi · Plumas Eureka 3 mi · Valley Ranch 3 mi
All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works
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 Blairsden (39.7752, -120.6108); 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.