city in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Portales, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Portales?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Portales, 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 Mar 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 2 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 Portales
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.08 mi W; pond, lake or river 1.02 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Portales ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 90th | 59th | 48th |
| New Mexico | 99th | 100th | 96th | 31st |
| High Plains | 93rd | 100th | 37th | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Portales: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Floyd 13 mi · Cannon AFB 14 mi · Dora 17 mi · Clovis 20 mi · Texico 23 mi · Elida 23 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 Portales (34.1773, -103.3551); 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.