community in California
Honey bee forage in Homestead Valley, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in California. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other California sites. Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.31 mi NW.
When is the honey flow in Homestead Valley?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Homestead Valley, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
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 Homestead Valley
Mostly: Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Developed-Roads.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.31 mi NW; open water 3.65 mi SE.
How Homestead Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 31st | 64th | 16th | 23rd |
| California | 37th | 44th | 39th | 46th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 96th | 96th | 94th | 24th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 75% 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 Homestead Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Yucca Valley 10 mi · Joshua Tree 12 mi · Morongo Valley 16 mi · Twentynine Palms 22 mi · Big Bear City 22 mi · Desert Hot Springs 23 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 Homestead Valley (34.273, -116.4145); 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.