About Us

the farm

Established in 2023 by Joe & Maggie Barthel, Lily Bee Collective flowers bloom on century-old, family-owned farm land nestled in Otsego, Minnesota.

Following in the footsteps of Joe’s great, great- grandparents, our family is the fifth generation to put down and plant roots on the original homestead here in our hometown. Lily Bee Collective specializes in fresh cut flowers, organically grown produce, as well as locally sourced goodies for the home.

It all started as a backyard veggie patch with a few zinnias sprinkled in the mix. This small, tender patch grew larger and more abundant by the year. A love for gardening, quality time spent getting our hands in the dirt with our kids, and sharing our bounty with loved ones quickly blossomed into a creative outlet and desire to cultivate vibrant blooms as a means to serve our beloved community in a beautiful, meaningful way. We have built this farm from the ground up and are dedicated to preserving our roots and nurturing this land that has been passed down to us from generations of our family before us. Our greatest hope is that this becomes a place for gathering, laughter, and sanctuary where we can all slow down, place a pause on the chaos of life to recharge & renew, and quite literally, smell the flowers.

Here, the art of flower farming is not just a livelihood, but we pray that it will be a cherished legacy passed down through time from our children to theirs.

the family

As a Registered Nurse by trade, Maggie founded Lily Bee Collective with the desire to create a family-owned small business that allowed for a slow down from the constant rush of life, and the flexibility to balance a livelihood with the best job of all— being a mom!

Joe is the brawn (and voice of reason) behind our business, and although he works a full-time career off the farm as an Engineer & Estimator in the steel industry, he logs plenty of hours as co- flower farmer from the seat of our tractor and down in the dirt as our professional weed-puller.

Our days are kept incredibly busy by our three littles- Lily (5), Jack (3), & baby Rosie. Each day is a whirlwind of laughter, learning, and new challenges as we navigate the beautiful chaos that comes with having a growing family & growing business in our backyard.
Moments with our kids are precious and fleeting; the ability to balance a career on our farm, while being mom first, is the driving force behind it all.

the flowers

According to industry statistics, 80% of cut flowers sold in the USA are imported from across the world from other countries. These flowers are preserved by chemicals, shipped thousands of miles to your local grocery store where they reach the sales floor, and subsequently your kitchen table, weeks after they’ve been cut. These imported flowers will have, at best, mere days of life to give in your vase.

So, why local? By sourcing your flowers locally, not only are you supporting a small business, but you’re also receiving superior flowers: ones that go straight from our field to your home. From seed to stems, every flower on our farm is nurtured and tended to utilizing organic and sustainable practices. At Lily Bee Collective— we are committed to growing without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. Blooms on our farm won’t be your typical ‘grocery store’ flowers, but rather ones that flow with the changes of the season, are rare to find, organically thrive in our climate, and are curated with our unique community interests in mind.