Sam and Rosetta Fischer purchased the old 35 acre Ostby farm three years ago and moved with their four boys to Hampton with a vision to open an organic farm and make it a destination place for those looking for fresh local products. Thus began their journey of providing organic food grown on their own land with their own toil. Sam, who lived on his father’s farm till the economy turned sour in the 1980s and had to be sold, was trained as a carpenter until he had an opportunity to intern on a small farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There he rekindled a love for farming and product marketing. He trained for two summers, learning all aspects of farming from seed to table. Sam says, “I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life”.

With many twists and turns, the Fishers began transforming the land with the blessings of the Ostby family. Their daughter, Edie, now living in Maine remarked, “My parents would be smiling knowing, what you are doing here.” As time passed, the farm became more and more successful and Sam and Rosetta were faced with growing pains. Should they remain small, rely on just themselves to do all the work, or hire employees to lighten the load? They eventually decided to seek a variance from the town and become a farm market. In so doing, they could then bring in other local vendors and expand their offerings without adding more work for themselves.

If you have been to Organic Roots over the winter you have noticed they move indoors in the lower floor of the home Sam built for his parents. The coolers are now stocked with food items the Fishers see as a co-op with the community. There are organic cheeses, raw milk, jams and jellies, maple syrup, Rosetta’s bread and maple cinnamon rolls, and eggs, all locally sourced. An imported from Lancaster treat are homemade pot pies from an Amish kitchen.

The Fishers express freely their love of this community and all the support they feel day in and day out. It is extremely important for them to be good neighbors. Sam says, “we want everyone to be happy.” Future hopes for the farm would include a commercial kitchen that would provide some welcomed relief for Rosetta who must rise at 3AM to begin to bake her bread that invariably sells out. Right now she can only bake four loaves at a time, so it is an arduous task to keep up with the demand indeed.

So please visit Organic Roots Farm, visit with the Fishers, and share in their rich organic goodness!

Wayne Erskine