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Honey bee forage in Keenesburg, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Keenesburg?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Keenesburg, 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), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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
- Sorghum: about 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 319 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Keenesburg
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.7 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.72 mi SW.
How Keenesburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 56th | 66th | 80th |
| Colorado | 81st | 93rd | 58th | 63rd |
| High Plains | 75th | 77th | 50th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Keenesburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hudson 5 mi · Aristocrat Ranchettes 11 mi · Lochbuie 13 mi · Fort Lupton 14 mi · Gilcrest 15 mi · Platteville 15 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 Keenesburg (40.1552, -104.5634); 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.