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Farmer Faculty

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute - East Troy, WI

Petra Ahnert - Wisconsin Honey Cooperative
Petra is one of the four beekeepers who came together to create the Wisconsin Honey Cooperative. Collectively this group manages over 4,000 colonies of bees. By working together they are able to process, package and market the honey and other natural products they produce. luscioussoaps@yahoo.com

Harriet Behar - MOSES
Harriet is the MOSES Organic Specialist, where she promotes, enhances and works to expand organic agriculture through training and networking with farmers, educators and others interested in organic agriculture. As an organic inspector for 18 years, she visited over 2000 organic farms and processing facilities around the world. Harriet has attended many of the National Organic Standards Board meetings and has served on the board of the Organic Materials Review Institute and the Independent Organic Inspectors Association. She and her husband have been certified organic growers of bedding plants, vegetables and herbs since 1989 and have an on-farm, state licensed dehydration facility and a small commercial honey operation. Harriet can be reached at harriet@mosesorganic.org.

Vicki Elkin - DATCP
Vicki is a Policy Initiatives Advisor to Secretary Rod Nilsestuen at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Before joining DATCP, Vicki worked at Gathering Waters Conservancy, a non-profit umbrella group for Wisconsin’s private, non-profit land trust organizations. While at Gathering Waters, Vicki led the successful Campaign for Wisconsin’s Farm and Forest Lands which resulted in the Legislature’s adoption of the Working Lands Initiative. Vicki.Elkin@wisconsin.gov

Janet Gamble - Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
Janet Gamble has 30 years experience in organic and biodynamic agriculture and currently directs the Farm and Food Education Program at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute since 1997. In addition, she manages Stella Gardens a CSA training garden for beginning farmers. Her outreach and educational programs expand to beginning farmers, youth, and adult programs that incorporate lectures and hands-on learning. She is active in the sustainable agriculture movement and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, CRAFT Steering Committee, and Community Advisory Council for Center for Integrated Agricultural Sciences at UW-Madison. You can reach her at jgamble@michaelfieldsaginst.org

Amanda J. Gevens – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Gevens received a B.S. in Biology from Muhlenberg College in Allentown PA, a M.S. in Plant Pathology from Purdue University, and a PhD in Plant Pathology from Michigan State University. Dr. Gevens was a post-doctoral Research Associate for one year in the vegetable pathology laboratory at Michigan State University working on ornamental and cucurbit downy mildew. She then worked for 2 years as an Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida. Dr. Gevens’ position in Florida was as an extension plant pathologist for vegetable, agronomic, and forage crops. Dr. Gevens joined the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the Potato and Vegetable Plant Pathology Extension Specialist in July of 2009. Dr. Gevens’ responsibilities include vegetable disease management for both commercial and fresh market vegetables. Her research focus is on the characterization of pathogen populations for the purpose of improving disease management practices. gevens@wisc.edu

Walter Goldstein – Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
Walter Goldstein received a Ph.D. in agronomy in 1986 and has worked at Michael Fields since then. His work has entailed conducting studies of biodynamic, conventional and organic farming; breeding and developing corn; and leading or assisting in instructional projects for farm planning, biodynamic farming, and soil fertility management. He helped develop an organic matter budgeter, which is the subject of on-farm and systems trials with farmers and other collaborators in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. His work helped clarify major problems facing farmers with root disease and how that affects nitrogen use efficiency. He also has his own small farm with grazing sheep and orchards. wgoldstein@michaelfieldsaginst.org

Russell L. Groves – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Groves received a B.S. in Forestry from Iowa State University, a M.S. in Entomology from the University of Arkansas, and a PhD in Entomology from North Carolina State University. Dr. Groves was a post-doctoral Research Associate with the USDA-ARS at Cornell University for 1.5 years working on aspects of aphid-virus epidemiology in potato crops. He then worked for the USDA-ARS as a Research Entomologist for 3 years in Parlier, CA focusing on dispersal and movement of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a vector of Pierce’s disease in grape and almond. Dr. Groves joined the Department of Entomology as the Vegetable Entomology Extension Specialist in Madison, WI in 2006 where he has responsibilities for insect pest management on both commercial and fresh market vegetables. His research focus is on the development of integrated pest management systems for vegetable crops and applied insect ecology with an emphasis on insect vector-borne disease epidemiology, insect dispersal and movement, and insecticide resistance management. groves@entomology.wisc.edu

John Hall – Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
John has been a farming systems agronomist at the institute since 1988 and served as its Executive Director from 1996 until spring of 2003. He obtained B.S. and master's degrees in agronomy from Montana State University in 1981 and 1983. He studied plant breeding and genetics at Washington State University from 1984 to 1988. John directs the Integrated Farming Systems Program at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and manages the institute’s research and training farms. He is a co-founder of the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial carrying out long term crop rotation research in collaboration with UW-Madison and USDA-ARS. jhall@michaelfieldsaginst.org

Tracey Hall – Grace Note Farm
Tracey Hall lives and farms with her family on 11 acres at the tip of the Southern Kettle Moraine in Southeastern Wisconsin. Grace Note Farm offers both sustenance and joy to the Hall-Jeppsen family. Their land is home to laying hens, heritage turkeys, honeybees, Oberhasli Goats, and a large garden. Although much of what Tracey grows is for her family, she sells eggs and soap to the public. With her neighbor Jen Schimelfenyg, Tracey owns Roseberry Soap (named after Rose and Berry their first does). They make soap in large kettles on their kitchen stoves using milk from their farms. They sell the soap at festivals, farmers markets and small local shops. Tracey is the Farm Dreams and Stateline Farm Beginnings Facilitator for Angelic Organic Learning Center in and teaches soapmaking and cheesemaking classes at various locations in Northern Illinois and Southeastern Wisconsin. roseberrysoap@mindspring.com

Margaret Krome - Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
Margaret Krome oversees MFAI's policy program. In this capacity, she coordinates the annual national grassroots campaign to fund federal programs supported by the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture. Over a number of years, she has helped create and sustain funding for a number of state initiatives supporting environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible agriculture. Ms. Krome served Wisconsin Rural Development Center for 9 years before joining MFAI in 1995. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Appropriate Technology and sits on the Wisconsin Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Ms. Krome writes a bi-weekly editorial column for the evening daily paper, The Capital Times, in Madison, where she lives with her husband and two children. mkrome@michaelfieldsaginst.org

Jeff & Jen Miller – Dea Dia Organics
Dea Dia Organics is a certified organic farm, owned and operated by Jeff & Jen Miller, located in Grayslake, Illinois. We started our farm after working for years in the green industries and looking for a way to build a family business that matched our values. We chose started a farm to bring high-quality food direct to consumers in our community and build a sustainable livelihood for our family. Today, we grow over 40 different crops on 6.5 acres. We market our vegetables at two farmers markets and a CSA program. In 2009 we also started our Curly Tail CSA program, a pastured pork CSA, through which customers can purchase whole or half pigs. You can reach them at millers@dea-dia.com

Les Niles – Independent Agronomic Consultant
Les has managed agricultural production and equipment maintenance for several agricultural businesses, including DelMonte foods, Kaltenberg Seeds and others. Working in these positions for this broad spectrum of agricultural companies has given Les the opportunity and challenge of training many individuals how to safely operate farm equipment. He also has a BS in Agriculture from the University of Illinois fulfilling the study requirements in Soil Chemistry, Plant Sciences and Farm Management Economics. He is fortunate to be able to apply all of these in the position requirements for the companies in which he has worked. Les enjoys teaching from his experiences, both the good and the bad ones. blacksheeples@gmail.com

Mike Noltnerwyss – Primrose Community Farm
The 2010 growing season will be Primrose Community Farm’s sixth year. They grow almost everything possible in Wisconsin--over 60 different marketable crops on 13 acres of cultivated vegetables. They sell to a diversified market including 200 CSA shares, one farmers market and 10 restaurants. They have one hoophouse for season extension right now, and are mechanized in areas of the farm that really save labor. Weed control mechanization and timing has been integral in allowing for three full-time workers to be able to run the farm and remain profitable. Feel free to contact the farm at primrosecommunityfarm@gmail.com.

Beth and Jody Osmund – Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm
Seven years ago, Beth and Jody left the corporate offices of Arthur Andersen and Allstate, respectively, to become small-scale agriculture entrepreneurs. Their business is Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm located north of Ottawa. Since then they have built a growing farm enterprise and have become recognized as experts in pastured poultry production, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and direct marketing of farm products to consumers. cdrvalleyfarm@gmail.com

Tracey Hall – Grace Note Farm
Tracey Hall lives and farms with her family on 11 acres at the tip of the Southern Kettle Moraine in Southeastern Wisconsin. Grace Note Farm offers both sustenance and joy to the Hall-Jeppsen family. Their land is home to laying hens, heritage turkeys, honeybees, Oberhasli Goats, and a large garden. Although much of what Tracey grows is for her family, she sells eggs and soap to the public. With her neighbor Jen Schimelfenyg, Tracey owns Roseberry Soap (named after Rose and Berry their first does). They make soap in large kettles on their kitchen stoves using milk from their farms. They sell the soap at festivals, farmers markets and small local shops. Tracey is the Farm Dreams and Stateline Farm Beginnings Facilitator for Angelic Organic Learning Center in and teaches soapmaking and cheesemaking classes at various locations in Northern Illinois and Southeastern Wisconsin. roseberrysoap@mindspring.com

Lisa Schultz - DATCP
Lisa Schultz is a Planning and Information Specialist at the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Before becoming involved with the Working Lands Initiative, her responsibilities at the department involved Land and Water Resource Management planning assistance, review of manure storage ordinances, management of a joint Department of Natural Resources/DATCP Notice of Discharge grant program, and some geographic information systems work. Lisa has been involved with the Working Lands Initiative for approximately the past two years focusing on outreach efforts and development of the purchase of agricultural conservation easement grant program (PACE) program. LisaJ.Schultz@wisconsin.gov

Erin Silva - University of Wisconsin–Madison
Dr. Silva is an Organic Production Scientist with the University of Wisconsin Department of Agronomy and Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems. She has conducted organic research both in Mew Mexico and Wisconsin, including projects involving no-till vegetable production and cover crop systems. Erin currently serves as co-facilitator of the Wisconsin Organic Advisory Council. As a graduate student, Erin cultivated an organic market garden and sold the produce at the local farmer’s market. She can be reached at emsilva@wisc.edu

Jim Stute – University of Wisconsin-Extension, Rock Co.
Jim is a Rock County agriculture agent specializing in crops and soils. His program emphasis is on nutrient and pest management, including cover crop use in nutrient cycling. With agronomy degrees from UW-Madison and minors in soil science and botany, Jim has been practicing what he preaches for over 15 years on his 160-acre family farm near East Troy, WI. Jim can be reached at jim.stute@ces.uwex.edu

Tim Williams – Midwestern Bio-Ag
Tim Williams has been a staff consultant for Midwestern Bio-Ag for over 5 years. He works with about 50 clients in southwest WI and his responsibilities also include recruiting consultants and coordinating the training for new consultants. He enjoys learning about the complexity of soil systems, sharing this information with clients and helping his clients take their agricultural experience to the next level. Tim has a degree in sales and marketing and has received achievement awards during his career in sales and marketing. Before working for Midwestern Bio-Ag, he spent 3 years in Penang, Malaysia and 2 years in Quito, Ecuador working at international schools. Tim was born and raised in southwest WI and has been married for over 20 years with 2 teenage children. Tim’s email is timw@midwesternbioag.com

Amy Bruner Zimmerman – Green Link Consulting
Amy Bruner Zimmerman launched her company, Green Link Consulting, as a way to provide strategic planning, project management and marketing assistance to organizations actively working to positively change our food system. Recent experience includes project management and vision for the “Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin” program for the WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. She has served as a brand manager for a national food company and provided business and marketing consulting for a variety of food and farm businesses. Ms. Bruner Zimmerman holds an MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a BBA in Marketing from Eastern Michigan University. amy@greenlink-consulting.com

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is a public, non-profit institute for education and research in sustainable agriculture, which admits students of any race, color and national or ethnic origin.