town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Mead, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here); sorghum (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Mead?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mead, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 159 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 98 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Mead
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.34 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi SW.
How Mead ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 60th | 83rd | 67th |
| Colorado | 97th | 95th | 94th | 39th |
| High Plains | 94th | 83rd | 89th | 61st |
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 Mead: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Berthoud 4 mi · Firestone 5 mi · Johnstown 7 mi · Longmont 7 mi · Platteville 8 mi · Frederick 8 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 Mead (40.227, -104.9883); 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.