city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Houston, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Houston?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Houston, 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 12.
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); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 280 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 306 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Houston
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi NW; open water 0.08 mi N.
How Houston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 59th | 85th | 70th |
| Minnesota | 52nd | 68th | 51st | 55th |
| Driftless Area | 62nd | 69th | 52nd | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Houston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Caledonia 9 mi · Rushford 10 mi · Rushford Village 11 mi · Hokah 11 mi · Peterson 13 mi · Spring Grove 14 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 Houston (43.7566, -91.5727); 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.