city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Mabel, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (72nd percentile) and lowest in spring (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mabel?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mabel, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 5,050 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 604 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Mabel
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi SW.
How Mabel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 43rd | 92nd | 70th |
| Minnesota | 75th | 51st | 72nd | 56th |
| Driftless Area | 97th | 27th | 91st | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Mabel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spring Grove 7 mi · Canton 8 mi · Harmony 12 mi · Eitzen 15 mi · Caledonia 16 mi · Whalan 17 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 Mabel (43.5198, -91.7681); 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.