community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Agua Fria, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (72nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.6 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Agua Fria?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Agua Fria, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Agua Fria
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.79 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Agua Fria ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 68th | 59th | 76th |
| New Mexico | 98th | 94th | 96th | 72nd |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 97th | 99th | 96th | 68th |
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 Agua Fria: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Santa Fe 2 mi · Tres Arroyos 2 mi · Las Campanas 4 mi · Conejo 5 mi · Arroyo Hondo 5 mi · Tano Road 6 mi
All towns in New Mexico · 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 Agua Fria (35.6616, -106.0148); 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.