MEET OUR TEAM
Erica Berman
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ FOUNDER
After 20 years in Paris and Italy, Erica swapped city living for a life steeped in sustainable values, nature, and creating less waste when she moved to Midcoast Maine in 2012 with her French husband, and Veggies to Table co-founder, Alain Ollier. In 2019 the launch of Veggies to Table stemmed from a deep-rooted desire to give back to their community. Previously Erica created and ran the boutique vacation rental company Haven In (luxury rentals in Paris, Provence, and Tuscany) and founded and curated HiP Paris a cultural blog on Paris. In her rare free time, Erica loves to read, cook, learn languages, walk in the woods, snuggle with her cats, and travel off the beaten track. Erica has a passion for flowers, beautiful interiors, industrial furniture, and reclaimed and reused everything. She has a degree in Journalism and Psychology from Syracuse University and originally hails from Lexington, Mass where her father still owns Berman’s Wine and Spirits which has been in the family since its inception in 1909.
Bonita Johnson
Farm Director
After more than a decade of running organic and no-till farming operations on the Coast of Maine, Bonita has joined Veggies to Table as the Farm Director, bringing her passion for growing and preparing nutritious meals to our communities served. With a “Seed to Fork” approach, she joins our team in the fight for food security through practice, educational programming, training, and community engagement. Since moving to Maine in 2007, she has built and managed Wrights Cove Land and Sea Farm at Crows Nest, managed Point Lookout Resort’s organic farm, and worked at Primo restaurant in Rockland. She spends her free time with her adorable pup Dixie, growing small batch oysters, and swimming!
Ice Lekometros
Farm Consultant
Ice has been farming since 2015 and has managed farms in New York, California, Texas, and New Hampshire. With a degree in agriculture and studio arts she thinks of growing fields as a canvas to be filled with shades of green. She has worked on both large and small farms and feels strongly that growing and donating fresh food is essential for building resilient communities. Ice is a master tinkerer, aspiring woodworker and loves sailing, reading, and splitting firewood. Ice and her wife are currently restoring a log cabin in New York and renovating a farmhouse and barn in Maine.
Anna Tracht
Development Coordinator
Anna’s love of food systems began in college, where she saw firsthand the impact grassroots organizations can have on communities. She has since spent her education and career oscillating between farming and nonprofits, and is happiest at the intersection of the two. She moved to Maine in 2017 to work with Cultivating Communities New American training program. After four years in that role she started Strawflower Farm, a no-till cut flower operation. Before coming to Maine, Anna participated in the Allegheny Mountain Institute’s food systems fellowship, receiving her Permaculture Design Certificate and starting a farm-to-table restaurant in rural Virginia. When not frolicking with flowers or otherwise spending time outdoors, she loves to knit, paint, cook, and bake. She lives in Bath with her partner, two cats, and an ever-expanding kitchen garden.
Loretta Haskell
Administrative & Development assistant
Loretta came to Veggies to Table dedicated to making positive social and sustainable changes for the community and shared planet. Passionate about accessibility, education, and preserving nature, she’s eager to serve and learn all about grassroots nonprofits. Before moving to Maine, she was a copywriter for sustainable shoe company Allbirds, managed a letterpress printing company called People I’ve Loved, and taught creative writing at City College of San Francisco. She’s an editor for Luna Station Quarterly and a speculative fiction writer curious about the intersection of women and nature. You’ll often find her outdoors kayaking, hiking, reading, doing yoga, or adventuring with her nephew and niece, Levi and Gigi.
Hannah Johnson
Farmer
Hannah joined Veggies to Table after searching for a donation-focused farm in Maine. She was drawn to the mission and no-till practices and is excited to help send food out to the community. Hannah has worked on other organic farms for the past few of seasons, including apprenticing at Wolf’s Neck Center in Freeport. She is looking forward to learning more and honing her skills in regenerative farming. Before farming, she studied environmental policy and natural resources management, where she solidified her passion for sustainable food systems and organic agriculture. When not on the farm she enjoys skiing, reading, hiking with her dog, and anything else involving the outdoors.
Victoria Benditt
Farmer
Victoria is eager to join Veggies to Table and help fight local hunger. She is passionate about nutrient rich organic produce. For the past 8 years she has been homesteading using regenerative practices and is now keen to farm on a slightly larger scale. She has a masters degree in nutrition with a focus on helping others learn how to grow their own food and make meals with that produce to support a healthy and balanced lifestyle. When not working she enjoys spending time with her dogs, cooking, hiking, music, and yoga.