city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Rushmore, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rushmore?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rushmore, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 7,434 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2,172 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Rushmore
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.56 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.79 mi W.
How Rushmore ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 33rd | 97th | 67th |
| Minnesota | 96th | 39th | 90th | 50th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 89th | 67th | 61st | 90th |
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 Rushmore: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Adrian 7 mi · Bigelow 10 mi · Worthington 10 mi · Wilmont 10 mi · Lismore 12 mi · Ellsworth 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 Rushmore (43.6197, -95.799); 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.