community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Gopher Flats, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: peas (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 2.0 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gopher Flats?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), willows)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gopher Flats, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Peas: about 253 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NE, blooms late Apr – early Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Mustard: about 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi E, blooms early May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 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 Gopher Flats
Mostly: Fallow / idle cropland; Winter Wheat; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.48 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.49 mi NE.
How Gopher Flats ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 79th | 65th | 54th |
| Oregon | 64th | 73rd | 53rd | 38th |
| Columbia Plateau | 76th | 92nd | 52nd | 22nd |
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 Gopher Flats: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riverside 1 mi · Mission 3 mi · Kirkpatrick 4 mi · Tutuilla 4 mi · Pendleton 5 mi · Green Meadows 5 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 Gopher Flats (45.6659, -118.7225); 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.