About Us
First City Flower Farm
Hello from Bemidji, Minnesota — the First City on the Mississippi River! I’m Jennifer Borgen, born and raised in Minnesota's beautiful northland (zone 3b), where the summers are glorious, the growing season is short but sweet, and lake life is everything.
We grow premium dahlias, peonies, and annual cut flowers on our family farm. Our focus is on high-quality, sustainably raised blooms for florists and dahlia tubers for flower farmers and home gardeners across the country. 2026 marks our first season offering dahlia tubers directly to you online — and we couldn’t be more excited to share these stunning flowers!
How It All Began
The dream started quietly in 2020. Like so many others during the pandemic, I turned to the garden for peace and began growing organic vegetables. My mother-in-law’s dinner-plate dahlias inspired me to try flowers. Despite my beginner mistakes, those first tubers bloomed beautifully — and I was completely hooked. In 2023 I went all-in: studying, designing beds, cutting flowers for friends, and falling deeper in love with how flowers bring joy to people. In 2024 after completing Farm Business Management courses, my husband and I tore up part of our yard, built a raised-bed production field, and sold our first wholesale stems to another flower farm.
Flowers, Healing, and Resilience
That same year brought the hardest challenge of my life: a breast cancer diagnosis, surgeries, and treatment. Through it all, the flowers were my solace — offering beauty, peace, and strength when I needed it most. Now cancer-free, I’m more grateful than ever to share their uplifting power with others.
In 2025 we harvested strong dahlia yields, purchased additional land for expansion, and planted 801 bare-root peonies with the enthusiastic help of family volunteers. We’re on track to become northern Minnesota’s largest peony grower. Peonies in spring, dahlias in late summer and fall — with annuals and perennials filling the seasons in between.
What We Offer
- Dahlia Tubers — Premium, hand-selected varieties for home gardeners and flower farms.
- Dahlia Blooms — Wholesale to florists & flower farms (contact me for availability and pricing).
- Peony Blooms — First major harvest expected 2027–2028. Reserve early for wholesale!
- Annuals & Perennials — Expanding at our new farm site.
Grown with Care in Minnesota
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We use natural pest control, organic fertilizers, daily hands-on care, and strict sanitation practices. Our farm is Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certified to protect our lakes, rivers, and wetlands. We’re also building future pollinator habitat because healthy ecosystems grow the best flowers.
This farm is about more than flowers – it’s about bringing beauty, healing, connection and joy, just as they’ve brought to me. Whether you’re searching for rare “unicorn” dahlias, planning wedding bouquets, or simply want to brighten someone’s day, thank you for supporting our small family farm. We’re so glad you’re here! Let’s grow joy together!
—From the headwaters of the Mississippi...
Jennifer Borgen & Family
First City Flower Farm
Bemidji, Minnesota
