city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in La Grande, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Oregon. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Oregon sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 2.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in La Grande?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (alfalfa, garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of La Grande, 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 May 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 194 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 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 La Grande
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.37 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.41 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How La Grande ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 84th | 80th | 77th |
| Oregon | 79th | 74th | 79th | 72nd |
| Blue Mountains | 100th | 100th | 58th | 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 La Grande: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Island City 2 mi · Imbler 11 mi · Summerville 12 mi · Union 13 mi · Cove 14 mi · Elgin 18 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 La Grande (45.3245, -118.0869); 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.