community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Caballo, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (51st percentile) and lowest in summer (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Caballo?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Caballo, 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 Mar 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jun (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 Caballo
Mostly: Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Apacherian-Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi E.
How Caballo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 10th | 39th | 8th | 42nd |
| New Mexico | 31st | 51st | 13th | 25th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 44th | 48th | 51st | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Caballo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oasis 4 mi · Las Palomas 5 mi · Arrey 9 mi · Williamsburg 9 mi · Elephant Butte 15 mi · Garfield 16 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 Caballo (32.9806, -107.3075); 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.