city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Minnetrista, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Minnetrista?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Minnetrista, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 100 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 107 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SW, blooms late Jul – early Aug (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 Minnetrista
Mostly: Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi W.
How Minnetrista ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 64th | 68th | 68th |
| Minnesota | 25th | 76th | 28th | 52nd |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 17th | 76th | 16th | 32nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Minnetrista: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mound 3 mi · St. Bonifacius 3 mi · Crown College 4 mi · Spring Park 4 mi · Victoria 5 mi · Maple Plain 5 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 Minnetrista (44.9386, -93.7124); 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.