city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Brooten, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Brooten?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Brooten, 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 17.
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): soybeans, alfalfa, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 807 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 83 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Brooten
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Ruderal Wet Meadow & Marsh; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi NE.
How Brooten ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 50th | 86th | 92nd |
| Minnesota | 55th | 59th | 53rd | 83rd |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 74th | 50th | 68th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Brooten: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Belgrade 7 mi · Sedan 8 mi · Elrosa 9 mi · Sunburg 12 mi · Spring Hill 14 mi · Greenwald 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 Brooten (45.5001, -95.1157); 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.