town in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Bonanza, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Bonanza?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bonanza, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 2,351 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 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 Bonanza
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi NE.
How Bonanza ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 41st | 83rd | 76th |
| Oregon | 67th | 53rd | 87th | 70th |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 78th | 65th | 90th | 84th |
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 Bonanza: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Malin 13 mi · Merrill 16 mi · Altamont 16 mi · Beatty 18 mi · Sprague River 18 mi · Falcon Heights 19 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 Bonanza (42.2003, -121.4067); 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.