city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in St. Charles, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Charles?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Charles, 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 15.
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, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Soybeans: about 519 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,214 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, 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 St. Charles
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.53 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How St. Charles ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 64th | 89th | 81st |
| Minnesota | 71st | 76th | 59th | 71st |
| Driftless Area | 93rd | 84th | 73rd | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 St. Charles: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dover 4 mi · Utica 6 mi · Elba 8 mi · Eyota 9 mi · Altura 9 mi · Lewiston 10 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 St. Charles (43.9688, -92.0599); 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.