community in California
Honey bee forage in Independence, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring and summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Independence?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Independence, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; 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 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Independence
Mostly: Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.3 mi NW.
How Independence ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 79th | 27th | 48th |
| California | 52nd | 52nd | 52nd | 82nd |
| Central Basin and Range | 94th | 99th | 50th | 14th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 Independence: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lone Pine 19 mi · Big Pine 24 mi · Keeler 30 mi · Wilkerson 33 mi · Silver City 35 mi · Cartago 38 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 Independence (36.8303, -118.2079); 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.