city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Baldwin, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Baldwin?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Baldwin, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 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 Baldwin
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.14 mi W.
How Baldwin ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 64th | 78th | 81st |
| Minnesota | 42nd | 76th | 43rd | 71st |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 44th | 76th | 38th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Baldwin: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Princeton 4 mi · Zimmerman 6 mi · St. Francis 11 mi · Elk River 13 mi · Nowthen 13 mi · Pease 13 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 Baldwin (45.5177, -93.5519); 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.