city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Zumbrota, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Zumbrota?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Zumbrota, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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; 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): 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
- Corn: about 2,871 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Zumbrota
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; open water 0.2 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Zumbrota ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 66th | 89th | 78th |
| Minnesota | 73rd | 78th | 60th | 68th |
| Driftless Area | 95th | 89th | 76th | 97th |
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 Zumbrota: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wanamingo 6 mi · Mazeppa 7 mi · Pine Island 7 mi · Goodhue 8 mi · Bellechester 10 mi · Oronoco 12 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 Zumbrota (44.2952, -92.6729); 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.