city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Eitzen, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Minnesota. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Minnesota sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eitzen?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eitzen, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra 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 872 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 141 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 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 Eitzen
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.24 mi N.
How Eitzen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 46th | 88th | 68th |
| Minnesota | 57th | 55th | 59th | 52nd |
| Driftless Area | 73rd | 35th | 72nd | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Eitzen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Caledonia 9 mi · Spring Grove 9 mi · Mabel 15 mi · Brownsville 16 mi · Houston 18 mi · Hokah 18 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 Eitzen (43.5084, -91.465); 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.