community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Damascus, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 3.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Damascus?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Damascus, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, maples; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, maples; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi SE, blooms early Apr – early Aug (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 Damascus
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 60% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Damascus ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 99th | 74th | 33rd |
| Oregon | 89th | 89th | 66th | 28th |
| Willamette Valley | 68th | 68th | 68th | 81st |
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 Damascus: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Happy Valley 3 mi · Boring 3 mi · Orient 5 mi · Gresham 5 mi · Johnson City 7 mi · Oatfield 7 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 Damascus (45.4264, -122.443); 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.