city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Baker City, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (71st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mint (nearest 1.8 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Baker City?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Baker City, 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 May 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 328 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Baker City
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.66 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Baker City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 72nd | 79th | 92nd |
| Oregon | 77th | 71st | 77th | 95th |
| Blue Mountains | 99th | 100th | 55th | 94th |
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 Baker City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Haines 11 mi · Sumpter 18 mi · North Powder 18 mi · Unity 28 mi · Granite 29 mi · Union 30 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 Baker City (44.775, -117.8318); 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.