In the Garden
The Bear Family Garden is a mix of pollinator friendly flowers, fruits & vegetables in a cottage style layout with one exception - we have two dedicated cut flower plots to maximize our output of seasonal blooms for our bouquet subscriptions and market bouquets. We focus on quality so our customers get the freshest produce and flowers from a farmer they know and trust. Get a behind the scenes view of the cutting garden on our Instagram page: @BearCountryBlooms. We use the produce we grow to make salsa, jelly, apple butter, breads and offer fresh produce and cut flower bouquets at the Cologne Farmer’s Market, the 212 Market in Norwood, and the Waconia Market. We also sell flowers, produce and bread from our farm stand, usually on Fridays. We use organic practices and organic seedlings but are not certified organic.
In 2014 I started documenting what was blooming at our new house. I wanted to build a library of images & names to go with them so I could learn #whatsdointhebloomin . It has grown into a way for me to track the differences from one growing season to another and as I had hoped, I can look up the name of a plant I’ve forgotten. Over the years I have expanded, tamed, & added to the original flower beds. At last count over 200 plants flower throughout our yard. It took a leap of faith to leave the incredible backyard we had at the campground, but God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams with our new backyard filled with flowers, fruit trees, & rich soil.
Desktop View: Click on an image to bring up a larger view. The name of the plant appears when you hover the mouse over the image. Mobile view: Tap a photo to bring up a larger view. If you want to read the captions as you scroll through tap the little dot in the lower right hand corner of your phone screen.
Growing our own food
I do not claim to be an expert gardener, but I do strive to be a lifelong learner. I’m always trying new techniques and methods of maximizing yields and minimizing work. We’ve been growing food in this soil for a decade and as the photos show, things are constantly evolving. As time allows I will update this page with some of the tips and tricks we use in the BearFamily Garden. Until then enjoy watching the plants grow before your eyes. If only it were that easy in real life!
The Garden Blog
Featured
WHAT’S GROWING IN THE BEAR FAMILY GARDEN IN 2026?
Green bell peppers
Habanero Peppers
Various Hot Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Cucumbers
Amish Paste Tomatoes
Celebrity tomatoes
Honeyberries
Red Currants
Gooseberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Green beans
Yellow Beans
Scarlet Runner Beans
Rhubarb