city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Audubon, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Audubon?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Audubon, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 3,156 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, 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 Audubon
Mostly: Corn; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.27 mi E.
How Audubon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 39th | 90th | 97th |
| Minnesota | 68th | 45th | 62nd | 90th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 33rd | 82nd | 28th | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Audubon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Park 6 mi · Detroit Lakes 8 mi · Callaway 9 mi · Hitterdal 15 mi · Hawley 16 mi · Frazee 16 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 Audubon (46.8652, -95.9841); 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.