community in California
Honey bee forage in Mountain Ranch, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.1 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Mountain Ranch?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mountain Ranch, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Grapes: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early May
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 Mountain Ranch
Mostly: Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Mediterranean California Mixed Oak Woodland; Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi SW.
How Mountain Ranch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 94th | 25th | 43rd |
| California | 67th | 68th | 48th | 78th |
| Sierra Nevada | 90th | 89th | 22nd | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% 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 Mountain Ranch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sheep Ranch 4 mi · Murphys 7 mi · Forest Meadows 8 mi · San Andreas 8 mi · Douglas Flat 8 mi · Rail Road Flat 9 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 Mountain Ranch (38.2117, -120.5311); 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.