community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Ochoco West, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); buckwheat (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ochoco West?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ochoco West, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers, weedy mustards; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, rubber rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 350 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms early Jul – 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 Ochoco West
Mostly: Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi S.
How Ochoco West ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 43rd | 68th | 84th |
| Oregon | 48th | 56th | 58th | 82nd |
| Blue Mountains | 42nd | 67th | 36th | 83rd |
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 Ochoco West: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Prineville 8 mi · Terrebonne 13 mi · Redmond 16 mi · Juniper Canyon 16 mi · Culver 17 mi · Prineville Lake Acres 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 Ochoco West (44.4033, -120.9208); 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.