community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Alsea, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alsea?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), willows)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alsea, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, himalayan blackberry; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; 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
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Alsea
Mostly: North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Seasonal Sitka Spruce Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SW; open water 0.11 mi SW.
How Alsea ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 99th | 72nd | 12th |
| Oregon | 90th | 91st | 63rd | 17th |
| Coast Range | 60th | 68th | 56th | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Alsea: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bellfountain 12 mi · Alpine 12 mi · Blodgett 15 mi · Monroe 15 mi · Philomath 16 mi · Summit 18 mi
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 Alsea (44.3818, -123.5958); 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.