city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Cobden, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cobden?
- First forage: May 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cobden, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 8,681 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,124 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Cobden
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.36 mi SW.
How Cobden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 12th | 97th | 56th |
| Minnesota | 94th | 20th | 95th | 34th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 80th | 36th | 74th | 76th |
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 Cobden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Evan 5 mi · Sleepy Eye 6 mi · Springfield 7 mi · Morgan 10 mi · Comfrey 12 mi · Clements 12 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 Cobden (44.2825, -94.8466); 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.