FARM FRESH BLOOMS - INSPIRED DESIGNS
Why flowers?
A field of blooms draws the eye and invites the mind to pause, savor and reset. Floral bouquets bring that same moment into your home. They celebrate nature’s beauty and ground us in the cycle of the seasons.
My blooms are fresh. They go from my fields to market or to your kitchen table within 48 hours of harvest, ensuring quality flowers with an excellent vase life. I strive to grow a range of gorgeous flowers that range in style from traditional country to unique specialty blooms. Whether you want a casual, classic New England bouquet or a unique formal arrangement for a special event, I am here to grow the most special flowers for all your needs.
Farm History
My husband Mike and I purchased our 170-acre farm in 2000. Located in Shelburne’s Patten District, it was once home to a working dairy farm. For twenty-five years, we raised sheep for wool production, marketing our own yarn under our Foxfire Fiber & Designs label. As one of the country’s original “yarn farms”, we had a yarn CSA with a membership that spanned 4 continents. Caring for sheep taught us respect for our land and the rhythm of the seasons.
Although immensely gratifying, the work of raising sheep and keeping them safe from coyotes and other predators became more challenging as we grew older. We have downsized to a tiny, well-loved fiber flock of ewes and their guard llama, Ethel. Our farm is also home to our three miniature donkeys: Cupcake, Dolce and Prissy.
We keep our land actively in agricultural use. Neighboring farmers use our extensive fields for hay and cow pasture. In 2023 we began the exciting process of transforming some of our former sheep pasture into cut flower production fields. In spring of 2024, Patten Hill Flower Farm was born.
With support of many local customers and markets, we continued to expand our flower fields. In winter 2025 we built our first greenhouse so we can grow flowers year-round. What was once the farm’s milk room is now a potting room. We repurposed an old shed to serve as my floral design workspace.
More about me:
As farmer, florist, business owner and textile artist, I wear many hats. My background in teaching at middle school and junior high school led me to eventually share my love of fiber art through classes in handspinning, textile dyeing, weaving and other aspects of wool craft. My published work includes two books: Teach Yourself Visually Hand-Dyeing (Wiley Publishing, 2009); and Adventures in Yarn Farming: Four Seasons on a New England Fiber Farm (Roost Books, 2013). I have also been a free-lance contributor to several publications.
When I am not tending flowers I can be found in my studio where I paint barn quilts and create traditional patchwork fabric quilts. I offer barn quilt painting classes at the farm and my paintings have appeared in local exhibits.
