Freshly Cut, Locally Grown
- Local farm provides specialty cut flowers By Patty
- May 26, 2016
- 3 min read
One may think that flowers are all the same, but nothing could be further from the truth. Just ask Bonners Ferry resident Paula Rice. Paula and her husband, Bill, own Beehaven Flower Farm and have been growing flowers for their customers for the last 10 years. It is Paula’s passion and one that she loves to share with others.
“I have always gardened, and not long after I was married my husband made the comment ‘Paula, are you going to plant any vegetables in the vegetable garden or are we going to start eating flowers?’ I should have taken this as a sign that I should be a flower farmer, but I didn’t,” said Paula. But as time passed, that is exactly what she set out to do.
Paula is a specialty cut flower grower, and at Beehaven Flower Farm she specializes in growing florist-grade cut flowers that are typically difficult to ship making it hard for those in our area to get. “I also grow a lot of the industry standards as well such as lilies, delphinium, larkspur and sunflowers because they too are so beautiful and wonderful,” said Paula. “My flowers are field and hoop house grown, which is a huge benefit because the stems are sturdier and the plants much healthier.”
A seasonal business from May through September, Beehaven Flower Farm provides flowers for all occasions. “We are currently launching our new ‘farmer-florist studio’ right here on the farm,” explained Paula. “People can swing by and pick up flowers, call to order or go online for super easy ordering and payment. And yes, we deliver as well.”
The flowers grown at Beehaven follow the season, which provides the customer with a unique variety of choices. And while the U.S. used to grow the majority of its own flowers, today approximately 80 percent of the nation’s flowers are imported. According to Paula, domestic flower growers across the continent are working hard to regain that market share through building strong, vibrant local flower farms like Beehaven Farm. “You can’t beat the freshness and our flowers have a great vase life,” said Paula.
Beehaven provides flowers through a weekly route from Bonners Ferry to Post Falls. According to Paula, it was open-minded florists who were willing to break the mold and give her a chance that has allowed her business to grow.
Both Paula and Bill are community minded people and giving back to the community that has supported them is something that is important to them. One way in which they do so is through a fundraising program for area organizations; a mutual relationship goes a long way to support the local economy. “If an organization signs up and shares information about us, we will give that organization money from every order that contact makes for the entire season,” explained Paula.
In addition to the exceptional quality of the flowers, one distinguishing factor when it comes to Beehaven is they pride themselves on being sustainable and all natural as much as possible. The flowers are never sprayed with anything that is harmful or toxic making it safe for designers to handle and work with the flowers. Not only that, but because the flowers are grown locally, their fragrance is something much better than that of flowers that have traveled a great distance.
With a 100 percent satisfaction guaranty, Beehaven is definitely a place you will want to consider for your next special occasion or just because.
“From seed to flower, you really start to appreciate and see the simple and natural beauty of an individual flower; each has a role to play and a job to do,” said Paula. “I love to get them all together and see how they can transform a space with their beauty.”
2431 Moon Shadow Road
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805
Phone: 208.267.1160 (Farm) / 208.920.0020 (cell)
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