About Us
Our Story
Samantha Merrill | Farmer-Florist
As a fifth-generation farmer, my love of flowers began at an early age. One of my earliest memories is crouching next to my great-grandfather helping him pick zinnias and dig potatoes in his garden—the same garden in which I now, 20 years later, grow Freckled Cow Flowers. While Papa is no longer with us and the garden now produces more flowers than vegetables, I strive to keep his legacy alive.
I discovered the world of flower farming while earning my bachelor’s degree in agricultural education at Cornell University. I immediately knew I had found my calling. I had been torn between my passions for agriculture and art for most of my adolescent life. What better way to fulfill both than to be an artist who grows her own medium?
After graduating in 2021, I returned home to my family’s farm where I work full time and spend every spare moment growing Freckled Cow Flowers. I draw inspiration for my floral designs from the meadows, marshes, and woodlands surrounding the farm. I love to incorporate greenery and wildflowers foraged from around the farm in my designs to help achieve a soft, whimsical feel.
Along with my degree and horticulture minor from Cornell University, I am a graduate of the Floret Online Workshop, The Tulip Workshop, and have 10 years of formal training in studio arts. I am also a member of the New England Dahlia Society and the Yankee Dahlia Society.
What We Do
In January 2022, Freckled Cow Flowers was born with a mission to provide local florists, brides, and families with quality, sustainably-grown cut flowers.
You won’t find any heated greenhouses here at Freckled Cow Flowers. Instead, we extend our short growing season by carefully selecting cold-hardy varieties which can be overwintered or transplanted outdoors in early spring in unheated tunnels.
Growing flowers on a dairy farm means that we have easy, unlimited access to one of the best fertilizers of all: cow manure! We use composted cow manure from our own cows to feed our soils and grow our flowers. In addition to providing a natural source of key elements for plant growth, it increases organic matter and microbial activity in the soil. During the growing season, we supplement our plants with organic, locally sourced liquid fish and kelp fertilizer.
Being on conservation land, we never grow any plants which are or can become invasive. Even though some of the most beautiful cut flowers fall under this category (e.g. bupleurum, feverfew, Queen Anne’s lace, most ornamental grasses, etc.), we don’t want to risk the health of our native plants.
We only sell our flowers locally. We do not ship them nor transport them long distances outside the greater seacoast NH area. If you are interested in our flowers but live further away, we encourage you to support a flower farm local to you. If you are unsure if you are within our range, shoot us an email at freckledcowflowers@gmail.com or reach out using the form on our contact page.
Meet Freckles
Yes, the adorable face on our stickers is real! Freckles is a Brown Swiss x Holstein cross with a big personality. She was born here on the farm in December of 2019 and has been loving the diva life ever since. Her favorite activities are sleeping, eating, and getting chin scratches.
