town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Manassa, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Colorado. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Colorado sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Manassa?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Manassa, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 4,895 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 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 Manassa
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Alfalfa; Rocky Mountain Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.44 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.53 mi E.
How Manassa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 59th | 88th | 99th |
| Colorado | 100th | 95th | 100th | 98th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 100th | 97th | 100th | 100th |
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 Manassa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Romeo 3 mi · Sanford 6 mi · La Jara 7 mi · Conejos 7 mi · Antonito 8 mi · Capulin 12 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 Manassa (37.1738, -105.9373); 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.