town in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Summerville, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in summer (77th percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Summerville?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, sunflower)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Summerville, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, canola, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, sunflower, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, mint, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, sunflower, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Sunflower: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 114 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late Apr – early Jul (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 Summerville
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Sod/Grass Seed; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi N.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 48% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Summerville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 36th | 79th | 63rd |
| Oregon | 54th | 47th | 77th | 48th |
| Blue Mountains | 50th | 50th | 56th | 28th |
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 Summerville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Imbler 3 mi · Elgin 7 mi · Island City 11 mi · La Grande 12 mi · Cove 16 mi · Union 20 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 Summerville (45.4897, -118.0041); 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.