community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Rickreall, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring and summer (81st percentile) and lowest in fall (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); mustard (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rickreall?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), maples)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rickreall, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clover/Wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Apr – early 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 Rickreall
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Sod/Grass Seed; Southern Vancouverian Lowland Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.16 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 40% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Rickreall ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 97th | 81st | 16th |
| Oregon | 82nd | 81st | 81st | 20th |
| Willamette Valley | 40th | 29th | 94th | 44th |
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 Rickreall: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dallas 4 mi · Independence 5 mi · Eola 6 mi · Monmouth 6 mi · Salem 10 mi · Falls City 11 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 Rickreall (44.9319, -123.2344); 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.