city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Doran, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Doran?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 Doran, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 4,944 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 474 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Doran
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Sugarbeets.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi NW.
How Doran ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 21st | 93rd | 87th |
| Minnesota | 78th | 28th | 77th | 78th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 52nd | 63rd | 60th | 11th |
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 Doran: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Campbell 7 mi · Breckenridge 7 mi · Foxhome 10 mi · Nashua 13 mi · Tintah 14 mi · Kent 20 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 Doran (46.1851, -96.4857); 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.