ST. JOSEPH, MINN. (RFD NEWS) — Agriculture can be a meaningful outlet during life’s most difficult seasons, and one Minnesota flower farmer is sharing how farming helped transform grief into a story of resilience and renewal.
Dr. Liz Fiedler Mergen, author, speaker, and flower FarmHER, Dr. Liz Fiedler Mergen, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report for a preview of her upcoming appearance on the Season 2 premiere of the Dirt Diaries podcast.
In her conversation with RFD News, Mergen discussed her journey into agriculture, which began while growing up on her family’s cattle operation, where she was active in 4-H, FFA, and the show-cattle industry before pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner.
She shared how her path eventually led her back to agriculture after the loss of her husband in 2020, when she transformed a 40-acre hobby farm into Sunny Mary Meadow, a flower-farming and agritourism operation.
Mergen also talked about the inspiration behind her USA Today bestselling memoir, Flowers Bloom Anyway, and her goal of encouraging others through her experiences of grief, resilience, and rebuilding after loss.
She also reflected on the transition from healthcare to flower farming and entrepreneurship, highlighting the growth of Sunny Mary Meadow from a farm stand and subscription business into a destination that hosts events and supports local flower production.
Finally, Mergen shared some sneak peeks of her conversation with host Kirbe Schnoor for Dirt Diaries, what listeners can expect from the Season 2 premiere episode, and what she hopes audiences take away from her story of resilience, rural grit, and finding purpose through agriculture.
LEARN MORE: Dirt Diaries
