city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Brainerd, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.3 mi SE); soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brainerd?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brainerd, 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, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Corn: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Brainerd
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.2 mi E; open water 0.2 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 78% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Brainerd ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 59th | 71st | 79th |
| Minnesota | 26th | 68th | 32nd | 69th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 56th | 31st | 74th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Brainerd: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Baxter 4 mi · Merrifield 8 mi · East Gull Lake 8 mi · Riverton 10 mi · Nisswa 11 mi · Ironton 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 Brainerd (46.3553, -94.1984); 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.