city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in De Graff, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in De Graff?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 De Graff, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, 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, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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
- Corn: about 10,570 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,288 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, 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 De Graff
Mostly: Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi W.
How De Graff ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 24th | 94th | 70th |
| Minnesota | 77th | 30th | 79th | 56th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 35th | 55th | 34th | 93rd |
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 De Graff: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Murdock 4 mi · Benson 8 mi · Kerkhoven 9 mi · Sunburg 13 mi · Clontarf 13 mi · Danvers 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 De Graff (45.2599, -95.4684); 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.