community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Carson, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carson?
- First forage: Mar 1 (maples, dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Carson, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Carson
Mostly: North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How Carson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 98th | 76th | 41st |
| Washington | 80th | 83rd | 36th | 34th |
| Cascades | 74th | 81st | 42nd | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Carson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stevenson 4 mi · North Bonneville 10 mi · White Salmon 16 mi · Bingen 17 mi · Trout Lake 23 mi · Lyle 26 mi
All towns in Washington · National map · How the scoring works
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 Carson (45.7348, -121.8262); 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.