community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Cheshire, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.8 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cheshire?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cheshire, 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 7.
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, canada thistle; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms early Apr – 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 Cheshire
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi N.
How Cheshire ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 98th | 73rd | 17th |
| Oregon | 82nd | 83rd | 66th | 21st |
| Willamette Valley | 40th | 42nd | 65th | 49th |
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 Cheshire: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Junction City 4 mi · Harrisburg 8 mi · Monroe 9 mi · Elmira 9 mi · Santa Clara 9 mi · Veneta 10 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 Cheshire (44.1901, -123.2834); 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.