city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in St. Joseph, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Joseph?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Joseph, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 134 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 St. Joseph
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.36 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi N.
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 St. Joseph ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 61st | 83rd | 84th |
| Minnesota | 50th | 70th | 48th | 75th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 62nd | 70th | 51st | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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. Joseph: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waite Park 4 mi · St. John's University 4 mi · Sartell 6 mi · St. Cloud 7 mi · Rockville 7 mi · Sauk Rapids 8 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. Joseph (45.5651, -94.3021); 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.