city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Stillwater, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Stillwater?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Stillwater, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): 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 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi W, blooms early Jul – early 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 Stillwater
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.03 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 84% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Stillwater ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 81st | 79th | 87th |
| Minnesota | 58th | 97th | 44th | 79th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 79th | 95th | 41st | 82nd |
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 Stillwater: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oak Park Heights 2 mi · Bayport 4 mi · Grant 4 mi · Lake Elmo 6 mi · Willernie 6 mi · Pine Springs 6 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 Stillwater (45.0586, -92.8304); 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.