Heather Retberg and her husband Phil first met as young children in Mexico, where their fathers were missionaries. Led through many twists and turns by their faith and values, they now have children of their own and live on a small, diversified, grass-based farm in Penobscot, ME. The farm is conserved under the Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s Farmland Forever program and is a Maine Farmland Trust ‘Forever Farm’. Heather home-schools their three children, Alexander, Benjamin, and Carolyn. When the state Department of Agriculture began re-defining small-scale farms according to federal rules for processing chickens and selling raw milk, threatening the family’s livelihood, a community farm and food rights advocate was born! She is now looked to by farmers across the state and country as a leader in the fight for local control of local food systems. This program has been sponsored by The International Culinary Center.

“When going back makes sense, you’re going forward!”


Severine von Tscharner Fleming on Greenhorns Radio