city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Askov, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Askov?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Askov, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Soybeans: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jul – 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 Askov
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi E.
How Askov ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 72nd | 77th | 75th |
| Minnesota | 45th | 88th | 41st | 63rd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 94th | 64th | 93rd | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Askov: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sandstone 6 mi · Rutledge 7 mi · Finlayson 7 mi · Bruno 8 mi · Willow River 10 mi · Hinckley 14 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 Askov (46.1886, -92.7824); 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.