community in California
Honey bee forage in Hornbrook, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (84th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hornbrook?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hornbrook, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 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 Hornbrook
Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; North Pacific Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi S.
How Hornbrook ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 98th | 80th | 65th |
| California | 87th | 84th | 99th | 95th |
| Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range | 100th | 96th | 100th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Hornbrook: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Montague 12 mi · Yreka 13 mi · Grenada 18 mi · Fort Jones 25 mi · Gazelle 27 mi · Lake Shastina 28 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 Hornbrook (41.9045, -122.5583); 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.