city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in McMinnville, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: blueberries (nearest 1.0 mi E); vetch (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McMinnville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McMinnville, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, maples; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, clover/Wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Blueberries: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, blooms late Mar – late Apr
- Vetch: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms early May – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi SW, blooms early Apr – early 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 McMinnville
Mostly: Other Tree Crops; Sod/Grass Seed; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Blueberries: insecticides used on about 74% of surveyed US acres (2025). 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 McMinnville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 95th | 63rd | 30th |
| Oregon | 76th | 79th | 50th | 27th |
| Willamette Valley | 17th | 21st | 19th | 77th |
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 McMinnville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lafayette 5 mi · Dayton 6 mi · Carlton 6 mi · Amity 7 mi · Yamhill 9 mi · Dundee 10 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 McMinnville (45.211, -123.1918); 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.