History
Bee Heaven Farm fka Pikarco, grew out of a long-standing dream. For many years, living in a subdivision restricted us to a family garden, where we experimented with various plants and organic growing techniques suitable to our subtropical climate.
1995: We purchased a 5-acre site in the heart of the historic Redland district in South Florida, just north of Homestead. Before market globalization and severe development pressure, this area was famous as the winter breadbasket of the United States.
1997: First certified by the Florida Certified Organic Growers & Consumers, Inc. (FOG) now Quality Certification Services (QCS).
1998: The Redland farming area celebrated its 100th year of commercial agriculture, and is fighting to stay rural and productive in spite of development pressures from a burgeoning South Miami-Dade population.
1999-2000: Our avocado grove produced its first commercial crop. Our top quality fruit has quickly sold out every year. We supply high-end local restaurants and markets & ship mail-order boxes directly to your home in most parts of the United States.
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2001-2002: Start of our market garden operation and our CSA subscription service, with 12 shares.
2002-2003: Together with a group of local organic and sustainable growers, we created Redland Organics. Our cooperative efforts allowed us to expand our offerings. First full-season CSA subscription service, with 40 shares.
2003-2004: Explosive growth from 60 shares to 200 shares, with a waiting list. This caused us to reach out beyond the Homestead-Redland area to other organic growers in South Florida in order to satisfy the demand for locally-grown organic produce.
2004: Partnered with a local beekeeper to set up 20 new beehives for honey production. Planted an assortment of specialty banana plants. First summer CSA fruit shares.
2004-2005: Began offering certified organic egg share add-ons to our CSA subscribers. Second summer fruit share program. Bananas beginning to bear fruit.
Summer/Fall 2005: Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma walloped us! Bananas lost all their fruit and a full year’s worth of growth. Avocado grove fared pretty well. CSA season got off to a late start as a result of planting delays.
2005-2006: Our CSA and Farmer’s Markets running strong. Fruit trees starting to recover, and more baby chicks ordered to meet the demand for our certified organic eggs!
Summer 2006: Still feeling repercussions from Katrina and Wilma; the only fruit available was avocados.
2006-2007: Consumer interest in locally-grown and organic foods has resulted in increased publicity and over 350 shares. Egg shares selling out the first week.
2007-2008: Celebrating our 10th year of organic certification and our 7th CSA season!
Spring 2010: Co-founded the first producer-only market in South Florida in the Overtown (downtown Miami area) – first market to accept SNAP/EBT benefits and first to offer double-value incentives, in partnership with Wholesome Wave Foundation and Michael Schwartz.
2012: Established the annual October Redland GrowFest! celebration of all local things edible, green, and growing
2012-2013: Celebrating our 15th year anniversary of organic certification, and our 12th CSA season, start of annual GrowFest! celebration at the Fruit & Spice Park
2014: Installed 2-bay greenhouse structure to enhance seedling production.
2014: Partnered with Florida Organic Growers’ Fresh Access Bucks program, offering double-value incentives to SNAP/EBT recipients at our local market and CSA program with FDACS Specialty Crop Grant funding.
2015-2016: A hard year, with late start of summer wet season, continuing into an unusually wet and warm winter, made for an extremely difficult growing season. Most of the local production area was under an Oriental Fruit Fly quarantine, restricting or severely limiting fruit and vegetable growing and harvesting for 6 months.
If you’re in the Miami area, you can find us at the Pinecrest Farmers’ Market located at Pinecrest Gardens, Sundays from 9am-2pm.
Browse through our land to see how we grow for you!
We welcome the opportunity to serve you.