community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in summer and fall (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ohkay Owingeh?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, weedy mustards)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ohkay Owingeh, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), green/yellow rabbitbrush, rubber rabbitbrush, asters; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Alfalfa: about 88 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – 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 Ohkay Owingeh
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.53 mi N; open water 0.67 mi S.
How Ohkay Owingeh ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 31st | 45th | 45th | 84th |
| New Mexico | 84th | 62nd | 88th | 88th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 94th | 90th | 93rd | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Ohkay Owingeh: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pueblito 3 mi · Alcalde 3 mi · San Jose 3 mi · Chamita 3 mi · Española 3 mi · Santa Cruz 4 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 Ohkay Owingeh (36.0453, -106.0459); 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.