city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Lancaster, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lancaster?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lancaster, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 1,187 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 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 Lancaster
Mostly: Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi NW.
How Lancaster ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 62nd | 90th | 97th |
| Minnesota | 80th | 74th | 62nd | 89th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 54th | 96th | 26th | 35th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Lancaster: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hallock 9 mi · Lake Bronson 11 mi · Humboldt 14 mi · Kennedy 16 mi · Halma 17 mi · Donaldson 20 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 Lancaster (48.8582, -96.8014); 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.