Sisters Emily and Ashley Peckham are making a name for themselves in the local beef industry in and out of the show ring. The two established Trow Brook Farm to raise and sell beef to their community and exhibit high quality beef show cattle across New England. What started as a love for showing cows has evolved into a successful local business.
Trow Brook Farm is nestled in Goshen, NH, where the sisters keep about 25 head of cattle between their show string and animals raised for market. The best heifers born each year are kept for their show string (and to eventually enter their cow herd to produce more offspring). All of their brood cows have a list of awards and champion ribbons to accompany them from their show careers.
Any extra heifers or bulls (eventually steers) that are not for showing are put into their market program. This system has created a unique breeding program where the sisters emphasize longevity, functionality, carcass quality and yield, so that their cattle are productive in and out of the show ring.
Emily and Ashley raise and process and average of eight head of cattle per year for their beef customers. When they started their meat venture, they were only sending one to two head per year, but their customer base quickly grew. To keep up with demand, they have to carefully time calving and their management of the animals to make sure they have enough supply to last the full year.
As advocates for the beef industry, they take pride in promoting the higher quality and taste of locally raised beef. They also view their business as an opportunity to educate the public about where their food comes from.
“It teaches people there is more behind it than buying it at the grocery store,” they noted. When new customers come by, they are always sure to point out the difference in color and texture compared to store-bought beef and are proud to attribute that to the care and management of their cattle in their backyard.
The siblings began their farming journey 14 years ago. Ashley always enjoyed attending their local county fairs and became fascinated watching the cattle shows. She purchased a couple of Hereford beeves to begin showing in 4-H, and Emily tagged along in the 4-H Cloverbud and Pee-Wee shows until she was old enough to join 4-H too.
They both credit organizations like 4-H and FFA for fueling their love of beef cattle and agriculture. They were able to learn more about their animals, how to successfully raise beef and network along the way. Over the years, they were able to achieve an extensive list of accolades from exhibiting cattle, including overall showman, grand champion cows and market steers, top herdsmanship awards and agricultural promotion awards.
In 2020, Ashley was awarded the Ivan Head Outstanding 4-H’er Award, and in 2023 Emily earned the Star Farmer Award, was named Beef Production Entrepreneurship State Winner and received her State Degree through FFA.
Throughout their 4-H careers, they were able to gain leadership experience through officer roles and helping to guide younger members of the club. Emily is currently the president of the Sugar River Valley FFA Chapter and competes at local and state levels in the various Career Development Events (CDEs). This autumn, she will travel to Indianapolis to compete at the National FFA convention.
“4-H and FFA have helped both of us become confident, hardworking and successful individuals,” noted Emily. “It has taught us to not give up and keep going because you can make your dreams possible with a lot of hard work and dedication.”
Earning ribbons and awards is always fun, but Emily and Ashley have learned the value of hard work on their farm. The two pointed out that not everyone realizes farming is a 24/7/365 job, no matter the weather or a busy school schedule. Farmers are also responsible for making all the decisions for their animals, even the difficult ones. The sisters strive to make sure all their animals are happy, healthy and well cared for to both ensure a high quality of life and a high-quality food product.
Outside of 4-H, Emily and Ashley started to make a name for themselves in the open show circuit. At the 2025 Fryeburg Youth Show, Emily won Supreme Champion female with one of their Herefords. This achievement was especially impressive because the heifer is a bred-and-owned animal from their farm. Recognizing cattle that are bred-and-owned by an exhibitor is a testament the hard work they put into developing the genetics in their herd and the continuous care they provide to raise quality animals.
Emily and Ashley have become successful with their beef operation at a young age, but credit those who were there to support them along the way. Local cattlemen Adam Pride and Sydney and Louann Wilson served as their mentors, and they also are thankful for the support of their parents.
As their careers with 4-H and FFA begin to come to a close, the sisters are excited to continue their journey in the ag industry and continue making a name for themselves in the local show circuit – and on local dinner tables.
