city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Sauk Centre, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sauk Centre?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sauk Centre, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 2,298 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms early Jul – 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 Sauk Centre
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.25 mi N; open water 0.26 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 70% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sauk Centre ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 56th | 85th | 87th |
| Minnesota | 54th | 65th | 51st | 78th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 71st | 62nd | 62nd | 80th |
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 Sauk Centre: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Union 8 mi · Melrose 8 mi · Meire Grove 9 mi · Greenwald 10 mi · Westport 10 mi · Grey Eagle 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 Sauk Centre (45.7365, -94.9527); 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.