community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kirtland AFB?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kirtland AFB, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, green/yellow rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms late May – early 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 Kirtland AFB
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Developed, medium intensity; Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.64 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.7 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Kirtland AFB ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 53rd | 75th | 46th | 57th |
| New Mexico | 98th | 97th | 89th | 41st |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 97th | 99th | 94th | 33rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Kirtland AFB: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Carnuel 6 mi · Albuquerque 6 mi · South Valley 7 mi · Los Ranchos de Albuquerque 9 mi · North Valley 9 mi · Sandia Heights 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 Kirtland AFB (35.0478, -106.561); 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.