community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Orchard, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Orchard?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orchard, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 154 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 364 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 4 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 Orchard
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NW.
How Orchard ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 70th | 78th | 62nd |
| Colorado | 96th | 99th | 86th | 31st |
| High Plains | 93rd | 93rd | 82nd | 54th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Orchard: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jackson Lake 4 mi · Wiggins 8 mi · Weldona 8 mi · Trail Side 16 mi · Morgan Heights 16 mi · Log Lane Village 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 Orchard (40.332, -104.1178); 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.