city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Viking, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Viking?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans, sunflower)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Viking, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, sunflower, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Sunflower: about 93 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 197 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Viking
Mostly: Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; Eastern Great Plains Tallgrass Aspen Forest and Woodland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi NW.
How Viking ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 42nd | 91st | 99th |
| Minnesota | 84th | 49th | 68th | 98th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 61st | 86th | 40th | 81st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Viking: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Newfolden 10 mi · Holt 11 mi · Thief River Falls 13 mi · St. Hilaire 17 mi · Warren 17 mi · Middle River 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 Viking (48.2182, -96.4068); 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.