city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Effie, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Effie?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Effie, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), native wildflowers; amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early 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 Effie
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Mesic Balsam Fir-Spruce Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi E.
How Effie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 90th | 73rd | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 50th | 99th | 36th | 29th |
| Northern Minnesota Wetlands | 87th | 96th | 79th | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Effie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bigfork 7 mi · Big Falls 25 mi · Inger 25 mi · Mizpah 27 mi · Squaw Lake 28 mi · Northome 29 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 Effie (47.8413, -93.6373); 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.