community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Haystack, 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 (69th percentile) and lowest in spring (10th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.35 mi S.
When is the honey flow in Haystack?
- First forage: Mar 16 (weedy mustards, native wildflowers, arrowleaf balsamroot)
- Main flow: May 1 to Oct 31, peaking early Aug (green/yellow rabbitbrush, native wildflowers, rubber rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Haystack, 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 May 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, weedy mustards, native wildflowers, arrowleaf balsamroot; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): native wildflowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): green/yellow rabbitbrush, native wildflowers, rubber rabbitbrush, weedy mustards; 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
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 Haystack
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.69 mi S.
How Haystack ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 9th | 15th | 22nd | 75th |
| New Mexico | 27th | 10th | 44th | 69th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 42nd | 15th | 57th | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Haystack: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bluewater Village 6 mi · Red Rock Ranch 7 mi · Prewitt 8 mi · Homer C Jones 9 mi · Broadview 10 mi · Stoneridge 10 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 Haystack (35.3545, -107.9389); 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.