Our History & Team

Foster Farm

The Foster Family settled in Calais, Vermont in the early 1800s. For over two hundred years, Foster Farm operated as a subsistence farm. Through the years, members of the Foster family would leave to build a career, then later return and retire back to Vermont to oversee operations on the farm.

Peter & Annie

Current owners Peter and Annie previously founded Annie’s Naturals, the salad dressings and condiments company. Peter grew up on the farm and spent many Summers there throughout his childhood.

Peter and Annie run the business and live on the land. As the visionaries behind Annie's Naturals, they are very particular about the production methods, ensuring cleanliness and quality of the highest level possible every step of the way.

Certified Organic

Today, for the first time in nearly a century, the number of Vermont farms continues to increase due to an influx of new farmers specializing in organic products. Foster Farm now exclusively produces certified organic botanicals of the highest quality available on the market, along with a certified organic CBD line made entirely with hemp grown on the farm.

Annie Christopher

Annie is an artist, chef and herbalist. She loves working with food and has been involved in natural food business since 1985. In 2006, she received the distinguished alumnus award from NYC College of Technology, where she studied culinary arts. As co-founder of Annie's Naturals, a salad dressing and condiment company, she was responsible for developing the recipes for the successful natural product line. Her passion for food was inspired by her mother, who was both a phenomenal cook and recipe collector. Her first introduction to the world of herbal medicine was by the local Vermont legend Adele Dawson. Today, Annie does product development for the farm, where she combines her love of herbalism and art with her extensive experience in food business.

Peter Backman

Peter grew up on Foster Farm and has always wanted to return to the land to farm. He loves working with herbs on his family’s land to produce products that enhance the lives of others. He believes in being a good steward and advocate for the farm that has been in his family for over 200 years. As co-founder of Annie's Naturals, he was responsible for marketing and sales that brought the company to national recognition and distribution. Today, Peter oversees sales and marketing for the farm, where he guides and supports growth at all levels of the business.

Benjamin Uris

Benjamin grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York. He hadn’t discovered a passion for agriculture until his senior year of high school when he worked on a vegetable farm in Washington County, NY. Shortly thereafter, he went on to study Sustainable Agriculture at Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. Eventually, he started his own vegetable farm business which he ran for four years in Calais, VT before teaming up with Peter and Annie to start Foster Farm Botanicals in 2015. He greatly enjoys the many complexities and endless beauty involved in the cultivation, processing, and marketing of premium botanicals. Benjamin’s innovative mind has been an incredible asset to the success of all aspects of the farm.