community in California
Honey bee forage in French Gulch, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in French Gulch?
- First forage: Feb 16 (spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of French Gulch, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around French Gulch
Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NE.
How French Gulch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 97th | 20th | 8th |
| California | 63rd | 77th | 44th | 23rd |
| Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range | 73rd | 90th | 6th | 41st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 French Gulch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lewiston 10 mi · Keswick 11 mi · Shasta 12 mi · Shasta Lake 13 mi · Centerville 15 mi · Weaverville 16 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 French Gulch (40.7188, -122.6294); 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.