Our Story

Merriman Gardens was established on the principles that you can only grow the healthiest food by creating and maintaining the healthiest possible environment. Our number one priority is the collective health of our community and its environment and we believe that everyone should have access to nourishing and consciously grown food. We have eliminated the use of ride on tractors and replaced them with cutting-edge regenerative practices that prioritize transparency and sustainability, and include minimum tillage, cover cropping, composting, mulching, eliminating single use plastics, and much more. We are committed to never using chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Every crop we plant is grown in every aspect with the health of the soil constantly in mind because we understand that soil that is rich in biodiversity and organic matter will produce the most nutritious and resilient crops.

Meet the Farmers

Owners and Founders Aryn Coon and Sam Bensley


  • Owner and Founder

    Aryn was raised by homesteaders and has been involved in small scale agriculture for the better part of a decade. She has been fortunate enough to have learned from skilled farmers throughout New England and throughout her years of farming she has developed a fascination with and passion for the symbiotic relationship farming has with its environment. This inspired her to establish Merriman Gardens. Aryn believes that farmers are also stewards of that land. By utilizing regenerative farming methods she strives to create a food source that not only nourishes the community, but the environment in which it resides.


  • Owner and Founder

    Sam has spent most of his life as an educator, a ski coach and a social worker. Throughout his years of being involved with farming he developed a passion for agriculture, specifically permaculture. Sam believes that there is a collective responsibility that community members have for each other and embedded in that responsibility is caring for our shared environment. As a farmer, being a steward of the land is his priority as he works towards establishing and growing permaculture on the farm.