community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Rosedale, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rosedale?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rosedale, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 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 Rosedale
Mostly: Apacherian-Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe; Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Mogollon Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi E.
How Rosedale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 51st | 78th | 37th | 58th |
| New Mexico | 97th | 99th | 77th | 43rd |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 97th | 94th | 98th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Rosedale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Silver City 2 mi · Arenas Valley 2 mi · Little Walnut Village 5 mi · Tyrone 5 mi · Santa Clara 6 mi · Bayard 6 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 Rosedale (32.7647, -108.2435); 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.