city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Elbow Lake, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elbow Lake?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elbow Lake, 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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red; water white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, dry Beans; 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 11,539 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2,818 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 263 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Elbow Lake
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi SE; open water 0.08 mi SE.
How Elbow Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 40th | 89th | 87th |
| Minnesota | 62nd | 46th | 62nd | 78th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 86th | 26th | 86th | 81st |
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 Elbow Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barrett 6 mi · Wendell 7 mi · Ashby 11 mi · Dalton 13 mi · Norcross 13 mi · Evansville 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 Elbow Lake (45.9896, -95.9788); 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.