community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Mission, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: mustard (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mission?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking late May (mustard, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mission, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): mustard, 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), spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 59 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 251 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi NW, blooms late Apr – early Jun (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 Mission
Mostly: Fallow / idle cropland; Winter Wheat; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi N.
How Mission ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 93rd | 72nd | 47th |
| Oregon | 77th | 77th | 64th | 33rd |
| Columbia Plateau | 90th | 96th | 68th | 14th |
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 Mission: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kirkpatrick 2 mi · Gopher Flats 3 mi · Tutuilla 4 mi · Riverside 4 mi · Cayuse 5 mi · Green Meadows 7 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 Mission (45.6586, -118.6655); 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.