photo courtesy of Berry and Bloom Farm
Updated June 2023
I heard a saying recently: “My favorite color is flowers.”
This is hand-on-heart the perfect summation of my feeling towards flowers, florals, blooming plants, and foliage. They simply bring me joy. There is nothing like a fresh bouquet of flowers to leave me feeling like all is right in the world (even for a moment).
I first heard of Berry and Bloom Farm in the winter of 2019. They had just launched an Instagram account to tell the world all about their “bluetiful” plans. As my flower senses are very keen and attuned to anything floral, I picked up on this right away and had a great time following along. I learned that Troy and Rhonda Seelhammer are the owners, that their farm is located halfway between Eyota and Chatfield, and that they had a vision of creating beautiful spaces for people to gather and make memories when they purchased the farm in 2011. Berry and Bloom Farm has been transformed into a place of beauty: a cut flower garden and blueberry farm for Rochester MN area families to enjoy.
I was thoroughly thrilled with this upcoming addition of wonderful things to see and do in the Rochester MN area. I messaged Rhonda and we became friends over our shared love of flowers. My first visit was so special. I took my kids and I just loaded up my car with beautiful cut flowers from their u-pick flower gardens. It’s impossible to deny the magic of this place: open fields, big skies, gentle breezes, and flowers everywhere you look.
You’ll want to follow Berry and Bloom for their Instagram alone. It is full of beautiful photos of so many varieties of flowers and the blueberries they have planted. Rhonda will oftentimes pull together bouquets simply for her followers to enjoy their beauty. My favorite is when she takes photos and makes them into phone background images and encourages her followers to screenshot the slide. ♡ Rhonda takes us along on all the ins and outs of living on a blueberry and flower farm. It is touching and insightful and full of the warmth that characterizes Rhonda. She simply exudes joy and gratitude and being around her is a gift. I love listening to her talk on her Instagram stories because her voice is calm and clear…it is so comforting and special! As Rhonda likes to say: “It’s simply bluetiful!”
Berry and Bloom Farm is unique: it is the only Blueberry and U-Pick Flower Farm in all of Minnesota! Blueberries need to be tended to carefully and their conditions need to be just right. Troy and Rhonda have spent the last few seasons ensuring that the soil at their farm is perfect for blueberries. Fall of 2020, the blueberry plants were tucked neatly into the dirt (after their first summer producing fruit in buckets!) and the next summer was the first picking of blueberries from plants in the ground!
Troy and Rhonda have been working hard this spring and summer to add another feature to their farm: A lovely sunflower field! Last year, they had a beautiful sunflower field. However, there wasn’t quite enough rain to make them tall so they ended up perfect for bouquets. This year, the goal is to have a beautiful sunflower field to walk through and enjoy…perfect for family photos! (Just remember, professional photography is available by appointment only.)
Berry and Bloom Farm opens mid July this summer. The best way to stay up to date is by subscribing to their newsletter (scroll to the bottom of their website) for all the great information on opening dates, times, announcements, and more! Newsletter subscribers will get first dibs on when precisely the berries will be ready to pick!
A special note from Rhonda:
“There’s always something buzzing on the farm including unique seasonal and floral workshops. NEW this season is the opportunity for our guests to rent the barn for their small gatherings! As always, Berry and Bloom gift certificates are available and make wonderful gifts. Follow along for all farm happenings. Can’t wait to see you on the farm!”
Here are a few important things to note when planning your visit to Berry and Bloom Farm:
- Once open for the season, U-Pick Flowers is open Monday – Saturday from “fun-up to fun-down” as Rhonda says! (Please note: the farm is closed on Sundays).
- Blueberries are scheduled picking days. Blueberry picking times will be announced first to newsletter subscribers, then to Instagram followers, and then to Facebook. These will be the only blueberry picking times and these times are not necessarily synonymous with U-Pick Flowers. (Additionally, blueberries are always dependent upon ripening and availability.)
- Your first stop will be at the flower barn where you will check in and receive instructions on how to pick your flowers!
- Bring a container to take your bouquets home with you. You don’t want them wilting in your car on the way home.
- There is a handicap-accessible port-a-potty available for restroom needs. Indoor restrooms are not available.
- Professional photography is by appointment only.
- Berry and Bloom Farm accepts cash, check, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
- To be mindful of all of their guests, no pets are allowed except service dogs.
- Please park parallel to the driveway on the grass between trees and gravel.
If you visit, please be sure to take all kinds of photos and let them know that Rochester Local sent you. Be sure to tag @berryandbloomfarm and @rochester_local on Instagram so we can see your “bluetiful” bouquets and berries!
