Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily And Jenavee Merrill.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Sure! We are Emily and Jenavee, sister-in-laws (who married brothers) and flower farmers/florists at Wild Bunch Flower Farm. We are a two-woman operation and here’s a little bit of our story of how we began:
Emily: “It was 2023, I was turning 30, and I wanted to set a big goal for the year. Almost out of nowhere, I became obsessed with the idea of growing cut flowers and selling bouquets at farmers markets. I felt so drawn to the idea! While I nursed my baby, waited in the carpool, etc. I spent every minute I could reading about cut flowers and everything to do with flower farming. I began imagining all the ways we could use my yard to grow flowers. Luckily for me, Jenavee was willing to run with this crazy idea.”
Jenavee: “I grew up surrounded by flowers from my parents and grandparents’ houses who both had amazing gardens. Once I had the yard space, they shared some of their plants. I then began creating my own little garden. That led to my love of transplanting and propagating plants, and soon I was sharing flowers and plants with friends and neighbors. When Emily mentioned starting a flower business I was all in. Germinating seeds and watching them grow is one of my favorite parts of what we do. There’s something so special about turning something tiny into something beautiful.”
Once we committed, we set up grow lights and started germinating trays of seeds. It was so exciting and addicting to watch those little sprouts pop out of the dirt! We kept swiping our credit cards to buy supplies, hoping we could one day pay ourselves back. To our surprise, we were soon able to pay ourselves back and said “let’s keep this good thing going!”
That first year, we filled up Emily’s garden and flower beds and sold bouquets at 13 markets. Every year since then we have doubled our growing space and added more and more varieties. Last year we filled up both of our basements with flowers, starting over 30 kinds of seeds. We’ve expanded our flowers to bouquet subscriptions, events at the farm, flowers for weddings, funerals, and every kind of occasion. We’re looking forward to our 4th growing season!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth ride. We’ve experienced plenty of failures along the way- especially in the beginning with germinating seeds and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Every flower has its own needs when it comes to soil, light and everyday care- it’s a lot to learn!
Running this business while also being moms can sometimes feel like a marathon. We often find ourselves trying to whip 10+ bouquets together, keep the weeds at bay, make a funeral arrangement, etc. in between carpool, kids practices and meal prep. We work hard to get everything done–often with our “wild bunch” of 7 kids in tow. It can be challenging to always find the time, but working with flowers is so fulfilling and fills our creative cups over and over.
Every year we have our trial and errors; it’s an ongoing process. But that’s one of the things we love most about this work- the constant learning, adapting and growing. Each challenge teaches us something new and makes the farm better.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Our goal is to provide locally grown, speciality, long-lasting cut flowers for our customers. Not what you can find at the grocery store!
We love growing and putting together flowers that we know will brighten our customers’ days: whether it’s a bouquet someone selects at a market, a weekly subscription of flowers to cheer up their kitchen, or a u-pick experience where they select their own flowers. We’ve also become self taught florists and regularly arrange flowers for all kinds of occasions like weddings, funerals, showers, baptisms, parties, etc. We also sell wholesale for events by the stem or in DIY buckets.This year, renting out our flower stand with a variety of flowers has been a hit for a “build your own bouquet” experience at showers or other events.
Lastly, this past year we tried to open up our farm for unique flower experiences. We offered watercolor nights, yoga nights, cookie art, and dried flower events- always paired with bouquet arranging or some kind of flower experience. We love partnering with other women owned businesses to create these fun events! It’s always so rewarding to see women get in the flowers and allow themselves to feel grounded and get creative.
Bottom line: if you need flowers or flowers experiences, reach out and we would love to help create your vision!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Emily: Growing up with my twin sister and many siblings, I had a very happy childhood in the home my parents built — the same home where I’m now raising my own family and running our flower farm! We spent countless summer hours weeding and working together in my family’s garden. I loved playing sports like soccer and golf and trying out new things. My mom always says that I was born willing to give anything a try! As an adult, I love to be active outside, read, and spend time with my kids and family.
Jenavee: As a child I was always outside- usually with my older brother getting into way too much mischief. I loved picking flowers from peoples yards and playing “flower shop” with my cousin, and friends. Sorry to all the neighbors whose beautiful blooms I picked- I was just practicing for the future! My mom is a very independent woman (also a small business owner) and a real go-getter! I think I’ve carried that trait on from her in my own life. I love getting things done and seeing a project through. Whether that’s planting hundreds of flowers on the farm, clearing out the never ending weeds, or hosting big events. I enjoy connecting with people and chatting the day away. I love traveling with my husband and three kids. When I’m not on the farm working, you can find me at the hockey rink, dance studio, baseball field, or basketball court cheering my kids on.
Pricing:
- Bouquets: Small ($15), Medium ($20), Large ($25)
- Weekly/biweekly flower subscriptions: $100+
- Flower Stand Rental: Starts at $200
- Wedding Florals: Reach out for a quote!
- Special orders or Wholesale: Price varies!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wildbunchflowerfarm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wild.bunch.flower.farm/?igsh=bjdpbGxjc3FqeGs5&utm_source=qr#
- Other: wildbunchflowerfarm@gmail.com
