community in California
Honey bee forage in Chalfant, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chalfant?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Oct 31 (rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush, asters)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chalfant, 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 Apr 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, asters, green/yellow rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, spring-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Chalfant
Mostly: Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Wash.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.73 mi W.
How Chalfant ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 4th | 23rd | 6th | 39th |
| California | 18th | 26th | 24th | 74th |
| Central Basin and Range | 15th | 73rd | 4th | 9th |
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 Chalfant: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek 7 mi · Bishop 9 mi · Mesa 10 mi · West Bishop 10 mi · Round Valley 11 mi · Paradise 12 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 Chalfant (37.4921, -118.3904); 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.