city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Gary, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in spring (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gary?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gary, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, buckwheat; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, buckwheat, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 1,295 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 275 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Gary
Mostly: Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi NW.
How Gary ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 45th | 91st | 98th |
| Minnesota | 81st | 53rd | 68th | 93rd |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 56th | 88th | 39th | 54th |
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 Gary: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Twin Valley 8 mi · Fertile 11 mi · Ada 13 mi · Bejou 14 mi · Mahnomen 15 mi · Riverland 15 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 Gary (47.374, -96.2656); 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.