city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Shaniko, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in spring (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shaniko?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shaniko, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion, canada thistle; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, yellow starthistle, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – 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 Shaniko
Mostly: Columbia Plateau Scabland Shrubland; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland; Columbia Basin Foothill and Canyon Dry Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.37 mi N.
How Shaniko ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 43rd | 39th | 66th | 80th |
| Oregon | 45th | 51st | 55th | 75th |
| Columbia Plateau | 40th | 25th | 55th | 76th |
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 Shaniko: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Antelope 7 mi · Maupin 20 mi · Grass Valley 25 mi · Tygh Valley 26 mi · Fossil 26 mi · Warm Springs 28 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 Shaniko (45.0037, -120.7522); 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.