community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Saddle Ridge, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Saddle Ridge?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Saddle Ridge, 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), alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, 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), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light 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, 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 487 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,601 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Saddle Ridge
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi SW.
How Saddle Ridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 51st | 84th | 60th |
| Colorado | 95th | 87th | 96th | 27th |
| High Plains | 92nd | 62nd | 90th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Saddle Ridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blue Sky 1 mi · Morgan Heights 2 mi · Log Lane Village 3 mi · Fort Morgan 4 mi · Trail Side 5 mi · Weldona 9 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 Saddle Ridge (40.3131, -103.8023); 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.