Maine's Fresh Off The Farm Steals Our Hearts

We appreciate stores — big and small — that support small family farms by selling their goods.

Organic Valley knows what it means to be small. What started as a handful of Wisconsin farmers gathering to find a way to make a sustainable living by keeping harmful chemicals off the land and protecting the food system has grown to nearly 1,600 small organic family farms.

We often share stories of our small family farms. But, as we approach Small Business Saturday, we want to tell you about one small family business that has a big impact on artisans, employees, the community and farmers — including Organic Valley farmers. The store supports 400 small producers by offering them a place to sell their products.

Fresh Off The Farm in Rockport, Maine, is a full-service grocery, natural and organic specialty store located along Route 1. You can’t miss it; the “Fresh Off The Farm” sign is posted on a giant, bright orange carrot. (The jumbo carrot has become a sort of roadside attraction and point of reference for travelers. Carrot selfie, anyone?)

The owner and crew have a self-admittedly warped sense of humor that gets them through the busiest days.

Walk into the store and you will find employees sorting through baskets and bins of veggies and other delights, ensuring everything is fresh and ready for the consumers. The atmosphere is light, the music is playing and there is an array of natural and organic products, from delicious Maine blueberries to Organic Valley® butter.

It’s not uncommon to see a customer getting their groove on while buying granola!

Local producers come and go to the loading area — bringing their goods to the market via horse and carriage, electric car or a farm truck. They are paid before they leave. Owner Melanie Leo-Daigle stresses the importance that “No one leaves without a paycheck.”

Her parents opened the store in 1987. Their goal was to support as many Maine farmers, artisans and producers as they could — something the store prides itself on today. Fresh Off The Farm buys “a little bit of something from everyone so we know the farmers are taken care of,” she said.

Leo-Daigle purchased the store from her parents in 2018 when they retired. Her family can often be spotted at the store. Melanie and her husband, T.J., have a 7-year-old son, Cole. Melanie also has two other children: Jesse and Julia Page.

“The store represents the way we live, the way we eat, which is natural and organic food,” Melanie said. “We treat ourselves homeopathically before running off to the doctor.”

Most of the market’s inventory is locally produced or has state ties. Some of its producers live within a few miles of the store, and milk from some of Maine’s organic farms goes into the Organic Valley products sold there.

“Organic Valley is supporting small farms, the little people, moms and pops, and it encompasses the same thing we do,” Melanie said.

Locals and travelers stopping at the store on a fall day will find themselves among fall favorites like pumpkins, squash and oodles of other goods. The Fresh Off The Farm crew also delivers groceries, including to ferries that travel to islands off the coast.

Fresh Off The Farm also takes care of the community by donating to events and organizations.

It’s a small store with a big impact that shares similarities with Organic Valley. Farmers formed the co-op to preserve family farms by providing producers with a stable and sustainable pay price. Melanie is looking out for area artisans and farmers by providing stable pay and a place to sell their goods.

The Fresh Off The Farm team is preserving small family farms, and we thank them.