community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in San Acacia, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in San Acacia?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of San Acacia, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, garden flowers, green/yellow rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 190 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi N, blooms late May – early 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 San Acacia
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi W.
How San Acacia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 70th | 42nd | 46th |
| New Mexico | 96th | 95th | 83rd | 28th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 95th | 89th | 99th | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 San Acacia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Alamillo 1 mi · Chamizal 3 mi · Polvadera 4 mi · Lemitar 7 mi · La Joya 7 mi · Escondida 11 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 San Acacia (34.2549, -106.9023); 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.