community in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Midway, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Midway?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Midway, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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
- Soybeans: about 359 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 269 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late 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 Midway
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi N.
How Midway ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 41st | 87th | 97th |
| Minnesota | 56th | 47th | 56th | 90th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 76th | 28th | 73rd | 97th |
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 Midway: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Beaulieu 2 mi · The Ranch 4 mi · Naytahwaush 8 mi · Riverland 8 mi · West Roy Lake 9 mi · Mahnomen 9 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 Midway (47.3159, -95.7794); 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.