community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Highland Meadows, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in fall (57th percentile) and lowest in spring (42nd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.72 mi S.
When is the honey flow in Highland Meadows?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, weedy mustards, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Oct 31, peaking late Apr (native wildflowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Highland Meadows, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), weedy mustards, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), yellow starthistle, spotted and diffuse knapweed, asters; amber, likely to set over some months
- 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), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), green/yellow rabbitbrush; 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
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 Highland Meadows
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.72 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 1.18 mi E.
How Highland Meadows ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 12th | 33rd | 24th | 67th |
| New Mexico | 40th | 42nd | 47th | 57th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 64th | 74th | 62nd | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Highland Meadows: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mesita 10 mi · Laguna 15 mi · Paraje 19 mi · Moquino 19 mi · Paguate 20 mi · Encinal 21 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 Highland Meadows (34.9386, -107.1665); 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.