community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Towner, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (4th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Towner?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Towner, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Sorghum: about 984 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 607 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Towner
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Fallow / idle cropland; Sorghum.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.4 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 1.64 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 37% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Towner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 55th | 68th | 34th |
| Colorado | 73rd | 92nd | 62nd | 4th |
| High Plains | 63rd | 75th | 56th | 26th |
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 Towner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sheridan Lake 12 mi · Brandon 20 mi · Hartman 25 mi · Arapahoe 27 mi · Cheyenne Wells 28 mi · Holly 29 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 Towner (38.4704, -102.0805); 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.