city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Monticello, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Monticello?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Monticello, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 823 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 586 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms late Jul – late 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 Monticello
Mostly: Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; open water 0.48 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Monticello ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 60th | 82nd | 80th |
| Minnesota | 47th | 69th | 47th | 70th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 55th | 68th | 49th | 62nd |
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 Monticello: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Big Lake 4 mi · Albertville 7 mi · Becker 8 mi · St. Michael 8 mi · Otsego 8 mi · Buffalo 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 Monticello (45.2941, -93.7863); 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.