city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Bethel, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring and fall (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.6 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Bethel?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bethel, 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 15.
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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Soybeans: about 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 219 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Bethel
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Freshwater Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi S.
How Bethel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 63rd | 73rd | 83rd |
| Minnesota | 33rd | 74th | 36th | 74th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 27th | 75th | 24th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Bethel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Bethel 4 mi · Oak Grove 5 mi · St. Francis 6 mi · Isanti 6 mi · Martin Lake 9 mi · Nowthen 9 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 Bethel (45.4044, -93.2749); 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.