city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Prineville, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); buckwheat (nearest 1.8 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Prineville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Prineville, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; 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 571 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Prineville
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Prineville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 74th | 73rd | 85th |
| Oregon | 73rd | 72nd | 66th | 85th |
| Blue Mountains | 94th | 100th | 42nd | 85th |
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 Prineville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ochoco West 8 mi · Juniper Canyon 9 mi · Prineville Lake Acres 10 mi · Redmond 16 mi · Terrebonne 16 mi · Pronghorn 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 Prineville (44.2985, -120.8607); 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.