city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Helix, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.2 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Helix?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Helix, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Mustard: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 75 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 81 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, 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 Helix
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 54% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Helix ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 65th | 56th | 38th |
| Oregon | 47th | 70th | 40th | 30th |
| Columbia Plateau | 46th | 85th | 23rd | 9th |
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 Helix: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Adams 7 mi · Athena 8 mi · Weston 11 mi · Umapine 12 mi · Kirkpatrick 12 mi · Riverside 13 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 Helix (45.8506, -118.659); 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.