community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Fort Hill, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: rapeseed (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Hill?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, willows, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Hill, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, himalayan blackberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; 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
- Rapeseed: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms late Mar – late May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Apr – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Apr – late May (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 Fort Hill
Mostly: North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; open water 0.02 mi W.
How Fort Hill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 99th | 71st | 15th |
| Oregon | 88th | 89th | 62nd | 19th |
| Willamette Valley | 62nd | 68th | 50th | 40th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Fort Hill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Grand Ronde 3 mi · Willamina 4 mi · Sheridan 8 mi · Falls City 15 mi · Dallas 16 mi · Rose Lodge 16 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 Fort Hill (45.067, -123.5605); 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.