city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Sisters, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Oregon. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Oregon sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sisters?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sisters, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, 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 Sisters
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Columbia Plateau Western Juniper Woodland and Savanna; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.61 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 52% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sisters ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 72nd | 78th | 75th |
| Oregon | 75th | 71st | 74th | 69th |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 86th | 91st | 71st | 82nd |
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 Sisters: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Black Butte Ranch 8 mi · Camp Sherman 12 mi · Eagle Crest 13 mi · Tumalo 15 mi · Crooked River Ranch 16 mi · Redmond 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 Sisters (44.2924, -121.553); 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.