community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Elmira, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); grapes (nearest 3.3 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Elmira?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, willows, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elmira, 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, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, maples; 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 0.9 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Grapes: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi N, blooms early May – early Jun
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 Elmira
Mostly: North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; Open water; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi N.
How Elmira ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 99th | 68th | 25th |
| Oregon | 86th | 87th | 58th | 25th |
| Willamette Valley | 55th | 62nd | 38th | 70th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Elmira: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Veneta 2 mi · Cheshire 9 mi · River Road 11 mi · Santa Clara 11 mi · Eugene 12 mi · Junction City 12 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 Elmira (44.0715, -123.3571); 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.