town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Berthoud, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Berthoud?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Berthoud, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Alfalfa: about 187 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,758 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Berthoud
Mostly: Fallow / idle cropland; Alfalfa; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.61 mi N.
How Berthoud ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 58th | 77th | 60th |
| Colorado | 90th | 94th | 83rd | 27th |
| High Plains | 86th | 81st | 79th | 51st |
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 Berthoud: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Johnstown 3 mi · Mead 4 mi · Milliken 6 mi · Platteville 8 mi · Firestone 9 mi · Gilcrest 10 mi
All towns in Colorado · 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 Berthoud (40.2847, -104.9655); 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.