community in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Homer, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 23% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Homer?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Homer, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms late Jun – early 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 Homer
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.47 mi NE.
How Homer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 60th | 68th | 68th |
| Minnesota | 23rd | 70th | 29th | 52nd |
| Driftless Area | 4th | 71st | 5th | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Homer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pickwick 4 mi · Winona 6 mi · Goodview 9 mi · Stockton 10 mi · Minnesota City 11 mi · Dakota 12 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 Homer (44.0072, -91.5609); 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.