community in California
Honey bee forage in Smith River, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Smith River?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Smith River, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 1 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 Smith River
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; California Coastal Redwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi S.
How Smith River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 98th | 39th | 12th |
| California | 81st | 84th | 65th | 28th |
| Coast Range | 32nd | 34th | 31st | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Smith River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Dick 4 mi · Hiouchi 10 mi · Gasquet 11 mi · Crescent City 11 mi · Bertsch-Oceanview 12 mi · Klamath 25 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 River (41.9238, -124.1478); 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.