community in California
Honey bee forage in Smith Corner, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (right here); cherries (nearest 1.5 mi E); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Smith Corner?
- First forage: Feb 1 (almonds)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 15, peaking late Feb (almonds)
- Season ends: Mar 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Smith Corner, 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 Feb 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, cotton; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): almonds, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; 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
- Almonds: about 18,797 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi SE, blooms early Feb – early Mar
- Cherries: about 71 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NE, blooms early Feb – late Feb
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 Smith Corner
Mostly: Almonds; Pistachios; Grapes.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.11 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.27 mi E.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 84% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 58% of surveyed US acres (2021); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 56% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Smith Corner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 100th | 99th | 9th | 7th |
| California | 99th | 93rd | 30th | 22nd |
| Central California Valley | 90th | 75th | 20th | 58th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Smith Corner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mexican Colony 1 mi · Cherokee Strip 1 mi · Shafter 4 mi · Stebbins 5 mi · Rosedale 7 mi · Wasco 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 Smith Corner (35.4788, -119.2771); 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.