city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Ottertail, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: buckwheat (nearest 1.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ottertail?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ottertail, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, buckwheat, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): buckwheat, dry Beans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, buckwheat, soybeans; 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
- Buckwheat: about 169 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Oct (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 412 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 94 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Ottertail
Mostly: Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Freshwater Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.19 mi NW.
How Ottertail ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 51st | 80th | 97th |
| Minnesota | 44th | 59th | 46th | 90th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 47th | 50th | 45th | 97th |
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 Ottertail: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Richville 6 mi · Henning 10 mi · Dent 11 mi · New York Mills 11 mi · Clitherall 11 mi · Perham 12 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 Ottertail (46.4316, -95.5712); 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.