ABOUT US
We are a family-run flower farm, established in 2022 in Manchester, Maine. Located in the hills above Lake Cobbosseecontee, our ancestral legacy, Lakehurst Farm, was originally purchased by John Buswell in 1906 as a working dairy farm and summer inn.
Today, six generations later, our three founding farmer families have come together after professional careers and child rearing to bring our land back into cultivation in a healthy and sustainable way. We nurture our soil in order to bring the very best, brightest and most interesting flowers to our community.
Our Farmer Family
Healthy roots make joyful bouquets
Maggie Prieto
Maggie is a recovering lawyer who practiced Civil Rights law in Washington DC while raising a family. Maggie's attention to detail and process keeps Lakehurst looking and smelling wonderful. Though she contributes in all areas of farming, her team spirit keeps everyone together and humming.
Eric Michael
Eric spent 40 years in the hospitality business and created, with brother Mark, one of the leading catering companies in Washington, DC. . Keen gardeners, Eric and husband Craig have learned how to cultivate plants in DC, Maine, and the Caribbean. While he loves all flowers, Eric is especially fond of old-fashioned, fragrant varieties – lilac, sweet pea, and lily of the valley. He believes that having fresh flowers in the house is a reminder of the wonders of nature.
Vic Severino
Vic was born in Italy and has worked all over the world for the biggest global investment banks building all sorts of technology. These days he loves using farm tools, doing all sorts of damage with the farm's tractor named "Bizzy", but is especially adept at using a shovel. He loves the infrastructure aspect of building and running a farm and one day wants to establish a large community farm to address land and food inequality in Maine.
Craig Kruger
Craig is a professional chef, a gardener, and an artist. Having trained in fine arts, he spent many years working in kitchens and then many more working as a lead designer in several of Washington, DC’s top floral event firms. Along with husband Eric, Craig grows over 140 varieties of roses and loves nothing more than harvesting armloads of blooms for the house and to give to friends.
Mark Michael
Before coming to Lakehurst Farm Flowers, Mark, along with his brother Eric, was the founder of a large hi-end catering firm in Washington DC. As a former CEO, Mark enjoys the challenge of implementing a dynamic farm plan and growing beautiful flowers. If it were up to him, the Peony would be the entire focus of the flower operation.
Stephanie Haims
Stephanie studied at the Judith Blacklock Flower School in London and worked in floral design in a Surrey, UK, garden center, making floral arrangements and hand-tied bouquets. When she returned to the States, she worked as a floral designer in the Boston area. Stephanie has deep knowledge and appreciation for food and flowers, she's a world-class cook and we've discovered she's got an engine that drives results on the farm.