city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Ruthton, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ruthton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ruthton, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 1,117 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 691 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Ruthton
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi N.
How Ruthton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 35th | 94th | 86th |
| Minnesota | 85th | 41st | 79th | 77th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 42nd | 68th | 45th | 31st |
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 Ruthton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Florence 5 mi · Tyler 7 mi · Holland 8 mi · Lake Benton 11 mi · Woodstock 12 mi · Balaton 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 Ruthton (44.1775, -96.1034); 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.