city in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Santa Fe, 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 (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Santa Fe?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Santa Fe, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late 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 Santa Fe
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.57 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Santa Fe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 80th | 68th | 73rd |
| New Mexico | 99th | 99th | 98th | 67th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 98th | 99th | 98th | 62nd |
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 Santa Fe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Agua Fria 2 mi · Conejo 3 mi · Tres Arroyos 3 mi · Arroyo Hondo 4 mi · Seton Village 5 mi · Tano Road 5 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 Santa Fe (35.662, -105.9818); 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.