community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Deer Canyon, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in fall (53rd percentile) and lowest in spring (30th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.22 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Deer Canyon?
- First forage: Mar 16 (native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (native wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Deer Canyon, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), asters, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), green/yellow rabbitbrush; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Deer Canyon
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Southern Rocky Mountain Juniper Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi SW; pond, lake or river 1.71 mi W.
How Deer Canyon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 9th | 26th | 19th | 64th |
| New Mexico | 27th | 30th | 36th | 53rd |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 1st | 1st | 11th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Deer Canyon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mountainair 7 mi · Punta de Agua 12 mi · Manzano 16 mi · Willard 19 mi · Torreon 21 mi · Tajique 23 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 Deer Canyon (34.4236, -106.284); 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.