community in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Knife River, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (37th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Knife River?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Knife River, 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 Jun 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Knife River
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Mesic Balsam Fir-Spruce Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi S; open water 0.13 mi E.
How Knife River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 61st | 73rd | 59th |
| Minnesota | 27th | 71st | 37th | 37th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 57th | 34th | 84th | 81st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Knife River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Two Harbors 8 mi · Rice Lake 17 mi · Duluth 20 mi · Hermantown 24 mi · Proctor 25 mi · Beaver Bay 31 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 Knife River (46.9489, -91.7842); 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.