community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Brimhall Nizhoni, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer (52nd percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: dry beans (nearest 2.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brimhall Nizhoni?
- First forage: Mar 1 (weedy mustards, native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Sep 15, peaking early May (native wildflowers, yellow starthistle, weedy mustards)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brimhall Nizhoni, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, weedy mustards, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): yellow starthistle, spotted and diffuse knapweed, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, yellow starthistle, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, yellow starthistle, weedy mustards, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Dry beans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – late 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 Brimhall Nizhoni
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Colorado Plateau Mixed Bedrock Canyon and Tableland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.56 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.62 mi W.
How Brimhall Nizhoni ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 11th | 28th | 26th | 55th |
| New Mexico | 33rd | 35th | 52nd | 39th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 52nd | 66th | 69th | 31st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 90% 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 Brimhall Nizhoni: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tohatchi 8 mi · Nakaibito 10 mi · Twin Lakes 11 mi · Yah-ta-hey 14 mi · Church Rock 16 mi · Rock Springs 17 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 Brimhall Nizhoni (35.7905, -108.6299); 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.