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Honey bee forage in Olney Springs, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Olney Springs?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (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 Olney Springs, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, 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); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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
- Alfalfa: about 203 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 107 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 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 Olney Springs
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.3 mi NE.
How Olney Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 66th | 75th | 72nd |
| Colorado | 94th | 98th | 80th | 47th |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 98th | 82nd | 98th | 40th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 63% 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 Olney Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Crowley 5 mi · Fowler 5 mi · Manzanola 6 mi · Ordway 11 mi · Rocky Ford 15 mi · Sugar City 16 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 Olney Springs (38.1663, -103.9445); 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.