city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Long Prairie, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Long Prairie?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Long Prairie, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 850 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 171 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Jul – 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 Long Prairie
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Freshwater Marsh; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Long Prairie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 62nd | 83rd | 90th |
| Minnesota | 52nd | 73rd | 48th | 81st |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 66th | 73rd | 51st | 86th |
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 Long Prairie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Browerville 7 mi · Burtrum 11 mi · Clarissa 11 mi · Swanville 11 mi · Grey Eagle 12 mi · Eagle Bend 15 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 Long Prairie (45.9747, -94.8614); 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.