city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Greenfield, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Greenfield?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Greenfield, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Soybeans: about 242 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 86 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, 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 Greenfield
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi NE.
How Greenfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 67th | 86th | 81st |
| Minnesota | 61st | 81st | 52nd | 72nd |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 85th | 81st | 64th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Greenfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rockford 3 mi · Loretto 4 mi · Hanover 5 mi · Independence 5 mi · Corcoran 6 mi · Maple Plain 6 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 Greenfield (45.0941, -93.6908); 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.