community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Mehama, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mint (nearest 3.7 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mehama?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, willows, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mehama, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, himalayan blackberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, dandelion; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, blooms late Apr – late Aug (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 Mehama
Mostly: North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi N.
How Mehama ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 99th | 73rd | 22nd |
| Oregon | 87th | 88th | 64th | 24th |
| Willamette Valley | 62nd | 65th | 60th | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Mehama: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lyons 1 mi · Mill City 8 mi · Sublimity 8 mi · Stayton 8 mi · Gates 11 mi · Aumsville 12 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 Mehama (44.7912, -122.6284); 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.