Meet The Farmers
Bumbleroot Owners
Melissa Law
Melissa (she/her) found farming through her travels and eventually landed in Colorado to study herbalism. She met Ben in Boulder and they decided to return to their New England roots and start a farm with the Fishers. Melissa runs the flower program at Bumbleroot along with much of our marketing and communications. She is a member of the Maine Climate Council, working to understand how agriculture impacts climate and vice versa. She and Ben are parents to two daughters - Max and Lulu.
Ben Whalen
Ben (he/him) grew up in Massachusetts and fell in love with farming at Morris Grassfed Beef in California. His passion for growing food and being outdoors grew while working on farms in Colorado and Vermont. Ben runs Bumbleroot’s wholesale and bookkeeping. You can find him cultivating with a collinear hoe or delivering produce to our partners in the Portland area. To continue the work of land stewardship beyond Bumbleroot's fields, Ben joined the board of the Natural Resources Council of Maine in 2020.
Abby Fisher
Abby (she/her) grew up on Long Island, NY, and moved to Colorado after attending Hamilton College in Central NY. She met the other Bumblerooters through Boulder-based Meadowlark Farm Dinners, and the rest is history. Off the farm, Abby works full-time in Human Resources for Allagash Brewing Company. When she's not working, you can likely find Abby crafting something in the kitchen, cross-country skiing around the farm, or begging her daughter Josie not to eat the pieces of her latest jigsaw puzzle.
Jeff Fisher
Born and raised in Iowa, Jeff (he/him) got his first taste of farming while completing his master’s in Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College. Jeff is passionate about the benefits farms provide to their local communities and is exploring perennials and fruit trees as new enterprises for Bumbleroot. He manages Bumbleroot’s crop planning, irrigation, fertility and field production. When he isn't working he is probably harvesting food for Abby's next meal and chasing Josephine around the farm.
Our Team
Blair Andrews
Blair (she/her) first got her hands dirty at Ohio State’s student farm in 2012 and she’s been growing food ever since. From AmeriCorps service in Washington to the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, she’s become passionate about the intersection of food, education, and community. Blair has been at Bumbleroot since 2019 and manages our harvest and CSA. She enjoys hiking with her dogs, playing board games, and eating pizza.
Dan Mickey
Dan (he/him) hails from North Carolina and has bounced back and forth between his home state and Maine with a quick stint in New Jersey. He has been farming veggies all the while and we’re thrilled to have him back at Bumbleroot in 2024! He’s our field manager, in charge of tractor work and bed prep across the farm. Off the farm you’ll find him hanging with his newborn babe or out on the basketball court.
Tali Gasko
Tali (she/her) grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and 2024 mark her 2nd season at Bumbleroot. Prior to joining our team she interned at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport, Maine and she also has experience in the solar industry and ran a sock startup with her partner for three years! She is our CSA & Market Lead and is a powerhouse on the veggie team! Her favorite vegetable is garlic.
Suzanna Sylvain
Suzanna (they/them) was born and raised in Portland, Maine! They have farmed in Maine, Florida and Vermont and have been part-time at Bumbleroot since 2021 while pursuing other passions. They are our fastest bean picker by a long shot, fennel is their favorite vegetable, and they guestimate that they eat about 4 gallons of maple syrup each year. We are excited to have them back on the team in 2024!
Farm Family
Josie Fisher
Josie is the original #bumblebaby and she specializes in snowman building, seedling watering and swingset playing.
Mackenzie Whalen
Max loves princesses, tractors, her best friend Josie and going to school. She’s coming around to her new sister Lulu!
Lulu Whalen
Lulu arrived in April 2022 and shares a birthday with Farmer Jeff! She’s eager to move and adores her big sister Max.
Ruby Fisher
Ruby is the fourth #bumblebaby! The Fishers welcomed her in October 2022 and she’s a super cute merch model.
Bowie
Bowie joined the farm back in 2015 and has officially filled the role of Bumbleroot safety officer since. He always knows where everyone is and keeps our crew in line (especially his pal Sal). He specializes in potato-digging, fox chasing, and keeping all the birds out of our fields.
Sally
Sally "Mustang" Fisher is Bowie's bigger half. She gives him kisses all day long and reminds him to eat his breakfast when he forgets. She loves romping around, smiling, and welcoming newcomers to the farm. Sally reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously.