city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Ham Lake, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ham Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ham 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 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 Ham Lake
Mostly: North-Central Interior Freshwater Marsh; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi S.
How Ham Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 66th | 73rd | 77th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 79th | 36th | 65th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 30th | 80th | 25th | 52nd |
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 Ham Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Columbus 4 mi · Blaine 6 mi · Andover 7 mi · East Bethel 7 mi · Coon Rapids 8 mi · Circle Pines 8 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 Ham Lake (45.2539, -93.1948); 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.