community in California
Honey bee forage in Fairhaven, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (62nd percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.8 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fairhaven?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), maples)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Mar (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fairhaven, 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, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; extra 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late 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 Fairhaven
Mostly: Open water; Developed, medium intensity; California Coastal Redwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SE.
How Fairhaven ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 84th | 23rd | 31st |
| California | 60th | 57th | 47th | 62nd |
| Coast Range | 21st | 19th | 21st | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Fairhaven: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Samoa 2 mi · Bayview 2 mi · Eureka 3 mi · Cutten 3 mi · Myrtletown 4 mi · Pine Hills 4 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 Fairhaven (40.7883, -124.2014); 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.