city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Alvarado, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alvarado?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alvarado, 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 May 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans; water white
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; water white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dry Beans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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
- Soybeans: about 2,235 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Alvarado
Mostly: Soybeans; Spring Wheat; Sugarbeets.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 41% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Alvarado ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 32nd | 91st | 100th |
| Minnesota | 76th | 37th | 65th | 99th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 48th | 76th | 34th | 84th |
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 Alvarado: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oslo 6 mi · Warren 11 mi · Argyle 13 mi · East Grand Forks 18 mi · Stephen 19 mi · Donaldson 27 mi
All towns in Minnesota · 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 Alvarado (48.1929, -96.9985); 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.