community in California

Honey bee forage in Hartland, California

Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (70th percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). 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 Hartland?

  • First forage: Mar 1 (kinnikinnick, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Season ends: Sep 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hartland, 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 16.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, snowberry; light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, snowberry; 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

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 Hartland

Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Mixed Oak Woodland.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi E.

How Hartland ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US56th85th41st36th
California55th58th68th70th
Sierra Nevada78th76th41st64th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 98% 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 Hartland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Wilsonia 6 mi · Squaw Valley 14 mi · Three Rivers 15 mi · East Orosi 18 mi · Woodlake 18 mi · Seville 19 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 Hartland (36.6539, -118.9588); 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.