city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Princeton, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Princeton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Princeton, 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 16.
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, 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
- Corn: about 343 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 120 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 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 Princeton
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.37 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.5 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Princeton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 70th | 81st | 82nd |
| Minnesota | 53rd | 86th | 46th | 74th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 68th | 86th | 46th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Princeton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Baldwin 4 mi · Zimmerman 9 mi · Pease 10 mi · Foreston 12 mi · Milaca 13 mi · Bock 15 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 Princeton (45.5682, -93.5903); 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.