community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Country Homes, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 3.0 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Country Homes?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Country Homes, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, snowberry; extra 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 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Oct (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 Country Homes
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NW; pond, lake or river 1.17 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Country Homes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 81st | 80th | 84th |
| Washington | 66th | 68th | 54th | 88th |
| Northern Rockies | 90th | 99th | 27th | 90th |
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 Country Homes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fairwood 1 mi · Town and Country 1 mi · Mead 4 mi · Spokane 6 mi · Millwood 8 mi · Green Bluff 8 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 Country Homes (47.7478, -117.4199); 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.