city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Brooks, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brooks?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brooks, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans; water white
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); water white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, dry Beans, 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 2,201 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late 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 Brooks
Mostly: Soybeans; Spring Wheat; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi W; open water 0.32 mi NE.
How Brooks ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 31st | 91st | 100th |
| Minnesota | 81st | 37th | 68th | 100th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 56th | 75th | 40th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Brooks: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Plummer 7 mi · Oklee 7 mi · Mentor 11 mi · Erskine 11 mi · Red Lake Falls 13 mi · McIntosh 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 Brooks (47.8165, -96.0035); 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.