community in Wyoming
Honey bee forage in Rafter J Ranch, Wyoming
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Wyoming. Against other Wyoming sites it stands out most in spring and summer (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (74th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rafter J Ranch?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rafter J Ranch, 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 Jun 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), willows; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, snowberry, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Rafter J Ranch
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland; Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Riparian Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SE.
How Rafter J Ranch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 48th | 80th | 92nd |
| Wyoming | 99th | 99th | 99th | 74th |
| Middle Rockies | 95th | 98th | 93rd | 68th |
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 Rafter J Ranch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Park 0 mi · Jackson 3 mi · Wilson 7 mi · Moose Wilson Road 7 mi · Hoback 9 mi · Teton Village 11 mi
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 Rafter J Ranch (43.4305, -110.7915); 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.