community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in North La Junta, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in North La Junta?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of North La Junta, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Alfalfa: about 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 North La Junta
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Cliff and Outcrop; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi SE.
How North La Junta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 78th | 69th | 63rd |
| Colorado | 94th | 99th | 65th | 32nd |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 99th | 96th | 96th | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 North La Junta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
La Junta Gardens 2 mi · La Junta 2 mi · Swink 6 mi · Cheraw 7 mi · Rocky Ford 11 mi · Las Animas 17 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 North La Junta (37.9996, -103.5232); 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.