community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Loma, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in summer (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Loma?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Loma, 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): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, 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 2,976 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 98 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jul – 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 Loma
Mostly: Other Hay/Non Alfalfa; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SE.
How Loma ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 51st | 84th | 52nd |
| Colorado | 95th | 87th | 97th | 18th |
| Colorado Plateaus | 99th | 98th | 100th | 56th |
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 Loma: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fruita 5 mi · Redlands 12 mi · Grand Junction 15 mi · Orchard Mesa 19 mi · Fruitvale 19 mi · Clifton 21 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 Loma (39.2075, -108.805); 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.