city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Jefferson, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sweet corn (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Jefferson?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Jefferson, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, clover/Wildflowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers, mint; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, mint, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Sweet corn: about 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Mint: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early May – early Sep (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 Jefferson
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Sod/Grass Seed; Other Tree Crops.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.3 mi W.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Sweet Corn: insecticides used on about 44% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Jefferson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 93rd | 72nd | 24th |
| Oregon | 77th | 78th | 63rd | 25th |
| Willamette Valley | 20th | 17th | 56th | 69th |
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 Jefferson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Millersburg 4 mi · Marion 5 mi · West Scio 6 mi · Crabtree 7 mi · Albany 8 mi · Scio 8 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 Jefferson (44.7166, -123.006); 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.