city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Minto, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 47% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Minto?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (soybeans, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Minto, 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 21.
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); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; water white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, 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 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 149 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Minto
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Spring Wheat; Sugarbeets.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.31 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 39% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Minto ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 42nd | 89th | 99th |
| North Dakota | 47th | 88th | 39th | 86th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 40th | 85th | 24th | 81st |
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 Minto: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ardoch 6 mi · Forest River 7 mi · Grafton 9 mi · Conway 14 mi · Nash 15 mi · Gilby 15 mi
All towns in North Dakota · 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 Minto (48.2924, -97.373); 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.