city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Hanover, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Hanover?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hanover, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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, 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 86 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 155 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms late Jul – early 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 Hanover
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.21 mi S.
How Hanover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 67th | 85th | 79th |
| Minnesota | 58th | 81st | 50th | 69th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 80th | 81st | 60th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Hanover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Michael 3 mi · Greenfield 5 mi · Rogers 5 mi · Albertville 5 mi · Corcoran 5 mi · Rockford 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 Hanover (45.1578, -93.6628); 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.