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MEET THE TEAM
Terra Flora is a manifestation of what we love: farming & flavor
MAGGIE
Maggie, along with her husband, Sean, is one of the co-founders and farmers of Terra Flora. She gained her passion for gardening when she was a kid, when her family had a backyard garden every summer.
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Maggie became a flight attendant immediately after graduating college, with a desire to meet new people and explore the world. After five years she began to look for a more stable and "grounded" lifestyle and career path and farming felt like the next logical (though not entirely seamless) step.
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Due to some luck and serendipitous connections Sean and Maggie moved to Harborside Maine at the height of the covid pandemic to work at Four Season Farm. This was Maggie's first farming experience, and during her second season she worked as Assistant Farm Manager to Sean's role as Farm Manager.
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During her time at Four Season Farm Maggie had the opportunity to experiment with edible flowers, which sparked her intrigue in flower farming for chefs and arrangements.
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Her interest in coffee roasting grew in tandem with Sean's as they delved into the flavor nuances of various brewing methods and the quality of small-batch roasters.
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An unexpected interest also blossomed while at Four Season Farm: farm-inspired mixology. With access to unique ingredients and top-of-the-line fresh produce, Maggie began creating cocktails, mocktails, syrups, and tonics that highlighted seasonal ingredients and flavors. Maggie & Sean are working towards hosting dinners on the farm where they can showcase not only the superlative quality of the food they grow, but also share the flavors of their farm and its wild foraged items through curated mixed alcoholic and NA beverages.
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The path that brought Maggie to farming, as with many young farmers, was a winding one, and she feels deeply grateful and privileged to be where she is now. She has a drive to continue honing her expertise as a farmer and is always seeking out opportunities for growth (pun intended) and learning. No farmer ever has all of the answers, and Maggie looks forward to continually expanding her knowledge of farming, flower growing & arranging, and flavor mixing through success and (most of all) failure.
SEAN
Sean is one of Terra Flora's co-founders and farmers. Sean's career in food and farming began with his fascination for flavor. He had a deep interest in the origins of flavor in regard to plant genetics and growing practices. "Those who don't like tomatoes haven't had one fresh from the vine" is a mantra he repeats often.
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Sean first spent time in the research field with NC State University studying small scale farming practices in Eastern North Carolina before accepting an apprenticeship at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York.
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It was in the fields and greenhouses of Stone Barns that Sean had the opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in farming today, all while growing for one of the top restaurants in the world: Blue Hill.
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After his apprenticeship, Sean moved back down to North Carolina and worked outside of Asheville with Evan Chender of the Culinary Gardener, continuing to learn and grow for the top restaurants and chefs in the area.
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After spending two years working in the beer canning industry, Sean moved with Maggie to Harborside, Maine where he worked at Four Season Farm as Assistant Farm Manager for one season, and Farm Manager for another. There he honed systems that he would bring to their future farm and learned the joys (and hair-greying stresses) of running a farm.
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Exemplified by the farmers and chefs of Stone Barns, The Culinary Gardener, and Four Season Farm, the caliber of excellence, diligence, creativity, and precision resulted in Sean's sense of irrevocable pride for what he does. This is made evident through the flavors on a plate, the quality of product he oversees, and his dedication to his work.
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Sean's drive and passion for growing has remained unchanged as he continues to learn about unique varieties and best growing practices to include on the farm.
LAWTON
Lawton joined Terra Flora after spending six years learning about natural farming practices in the idyllic Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon. There he focused on natural and regenerative agriculture in the context of medicinal cannabis farms, which highlights not only the highest level of plant health, but soil health as well.
Using materials already growing in an area, Lawton learned how to feed a farm's soil and plants. This practice was informed by his understanding of natural farming philosophies that indicate building up soil microbiology as the most sustainable method for growing high quality produce.
Lawton has a passion for sustainability, natural inputs, mycology, and microbiology. He also shares a deep love of foraging wild foods and medicines. All of these things feed his excitement for life-long learning.
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Lawton and Sean met in their freshman dorm and became close friends over their shared values and interests: unique dining and drinking experiences, family, laughter, and joyous expressions of love. Their biggest pipedream at the time was to own a farm and grow all of their own food. When Sean and Lawton met Maggie on a trip to New Orleans, the three became fast friends.
The opportunity arose for Lawton to join Sean and Maggie in actualizing the dream from years ago, and he happily threw his lot in with theirs. He picked up his life in southern Oregon and moved across the country in late 2021 to join the team. The three shared a dedication to starting the farm, an enthusiasm for flavor, and zest for life which has proven to be their lasting bond.
One thing that is a constant in Lawton's life is gathering for meals. Coming from a large family, mealtime during holidays was usually the only time the whole clan came together in one space. The flavors, smells, sights and sounds of a family meal are memories that warm Lawton's heart.
His mother and father made dinner every night and shared a meal at a table with the family. His mother would make bread and confections and his brother made his famous chocolate chip cookies, regularly. Sneaking bites of dough was Lawton's favorite treat. Love of food (and Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations) drove Lawton to begin his career in food service.
When he was 15, he began working in the local pizza parlor. After high school and through college he worked in more pizza parlors, delis, steamers, short order kitchens, fine dining restaurants, and even a produce delivery business. Working in the business exposed him to more flavors, and a short trip to Asia in college cemented his love for travel and food exploration.
All of these experiences gave Lawton a desire to grow food with the utmost flavor, in order to share with others that experience of falling in love with good food.