community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Dixie, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (58th percentile) and lowest in fall (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); chickpeas (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dixie?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Jun (chick Peas, canola)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dixie, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, chick Peas, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): chick Peas, spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): chick Peas, canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Canola: about 43 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Apr – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Chickpeas: about 753 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – 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 Dixie
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Chick Peas.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 61% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Dixie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 66th | 71st | 15th |
| Washington | 28th | 58th | 26th | 14th |
| Columbia Plateau | 66th | 85th | 65th | 2nd |
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 Dixie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waitsburg 9 mi · Walla Walla East 10 mi · Walla Walla 10 mi · Garrett 13 mi · Prescott 13 mi · College Place 13 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 Dixie (46.1404, -118.1519); 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.