city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Stephen, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Stephen?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Stephen, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red, sunflower; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, canola; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 1,712 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early 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 Stephen
Mostly: Soybeans; Spring Wheat; Sugarbeets.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.18 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.19 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 48% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Stephen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 40th | 89th | 96th |
| Minnesota | 63rd | 47th | 61st | 88th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 27th | 84th | 23rd | 34th |
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 Stephen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Donaldson 8 mi · Argyle 8 mi · Kennedy 13 mi · Warren 19 mi · Karlstad 19 mi · Alvarado 19 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 Stephen (48.4524, -96.8763); 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.