city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in New Ulm, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in New Ulm?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of New Ulm, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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; 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 921 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,207 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi S, blooms early Jul – early 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 New Ulm
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.31 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.94 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How New Ulm ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 67th | 81st | 73rd |
| Minnesota | 50th | 81st | 47th | 61st |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 3rd | 94th | 3rd | 95th |
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 New Ulm: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Searles 6 mi · Essig 7 mi · Courtland 7 mi · Lafayette 10 mi · Hanska 11 mi · Sleepy Eye 13 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 New Ulm (44.3121, -94.4689); 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.