community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in McGaffey, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (12th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in McGaffey?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McGaffey, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, willows; amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs, willows; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 McGaffey
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E.
How McGaffey ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 15th | 30th | 44th | 26th |
| New Mexico | 48th | 38th | 86th | 12th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Mountains | 66th | 39th | 93rd | 35th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 McGaffey: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Wingate 7 mi · Pinehaven 8 mi · Jamestown 9 mi · Iyanbito 10 mi · Sundance 12 mi · Continental Divide 12 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 McGaffey (35.3689, -108.5277); 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.