city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Deer River, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Deer River?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Deer River, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 4 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 Deer River
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Wet Meadow; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi E.
How Deer River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 65th | 72nd | 73rd |
| Minnesota | 31st | 78th | 33rd | 61st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 66th | 45th | 77th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 Deer River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Zemple 1 mi · Ball Club 7 mi · Cohasset 9 mi · Grand Rapids 14 mi · La Prairie 16 mi · Coleraine 17 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 Deer River (47.3392, -93.7928); 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.