community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Fort Garland, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi N); peas (nearest 2.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Garland?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Garland, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; 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
- Alfalfa: about 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Fort Garland
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi W.
How Fort Garland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 42nd | 75th | 97th |
| Colorado | 87th | 63rd | 80th | 95th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 98th | 87th | 98th | 98th |
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 Fort Garland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blanca 4 mi · San Luis 16 mi · San Acacio 17 mi · Alamosa East 22 mi · La Veta 24 mi · Alamosa 24 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 Fort Garland (37.4279, -105.435); 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.