city in Washington
Honey bee forage in Harrington, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 38% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Harrington?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Harrington, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some 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 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi W, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 5 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 Harrington
Mostly: Fallow / idle cropland; Winter Wheat; Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW; open water 0.13 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 35% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Harrington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 58th | 76th | 89th |
| Washington | 38th | 48th | 35th | 92nd |
| Columbia Plateau | 78th | 71st | 75th | 93rd |
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 Harrington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Davenport 13 mi · Sprague 18 mi · Reardan 22 mi · Odessa 23 mi · Creston 23 mi · Ritzville 25 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 Harrington (47.4802, -118.2553); 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.