Staff
Hawthorne Valley Farm is ultimately comprised of the land we steward, the animals we care for, the customers and program participants that we serve, and the people who work here. Each person is integral and brings his or her own insights, creativity, and experience to our operations.
If you are interested in joining the Farm Team, please click here for a list of current openings.
Farmers & Apprentices
Andrew Whitby - Herdsman
Andrew Whitby is the dairy herdsman at Hawthorne Valley Farm, where he enjoys life with his wife and three daughters. Prior to moving to Hawthorne Valley, he worked for several years at Seven Stars Farm in Kimberton, Pennsylvania as a general farm hand and milker. In 2008, he attended the part-time Biodynamics training at the Pfeiffer Center in Spring Valley, New York. His previous profession as a carpenter equipped him with a wide variety of skills, which daily prove useful as a farmer. During his childhood, Andrew spent a great deal of time on the Biodynamic farms of Sussex, England where he developed his original interest in and love of farm life.
Bob Bower - Corner Garden Manager
Prior to joining Hawthorne Valley Farm in late 2010, Bob worked for over 15 years at Angelic Organics, a northern Illinois, 1,500-member, Biodynamic CSA with 30 acres in vegetable production each year. At Angelic Organics, Bob was both the General Manager and the Growing Manager. Additionally, since 1995, Bob managed efforts in Customer Service, Distribution, Finance, Marketing, and more. Bob is the father of three adult sons, is learning how to keep honeybees, and enjoys studying Anthroposophy and Biodynamics.
Katy Lince - Field Vegetables Manager
Katy apprenticed at Angelic Organics in 1996 and has been at Hawthorne Valley Farm since 1997. Since 2002, she has been the main field vegetable farmer. She enjoys working with both animals and vegetables, noticing the interrelated rhythms of the two.
Kelly Ohearn - Livestock Manager
Kelly has worked with the livestock at Hawthorne Valley Farm since 2009. She assumed a full-time position as Livestock Manager in the fall of 2010. Prior, Kelly worked at several organic vegetable farms in Columbia County and participated in starting a CSA. She is interested in gardening and cooking, fiber arts, and herbalism. She lives at the farm with her partner of 20 years, Paul, and their 3 dogs.
Steffen Schneider - Director of Farm Operations
Steffen finished his agricultural university studies in Giessen, Germany in 1982. He has been a Biodynamic practitioner since 1983, first in Wisconsin and, since 1989, at Hawthorne Valley Farm. He especially loves working with the livestock and the dairy cows and his passion for Biodynamics continues to grow. He has given workshops at numerous conferences and also teaches at the Biodynamic Course at the Pfeiffer Center in Spring Valley, New York. Presently, Steffen serves as treasurer of the Biodynamic Association of North America.
Artisan Foods
Ashley Lueders - Artisan Foods Business Manager
As the Artisan Foods Business Manager, Ashley oversees the Farm’s Creamery, Bakery, and Sauerkraut Cellar. She has twenty years experience in business development in the public and private sectors. She is active in community economic development initiatives which advance local food systems. Her interest in agriculture started when working on projects to find sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty in Sub Saharan Africa. She has a keen passion for farming, the culinary arts, and cultural heritage preservation.
Karen Linton - Bakery Supervisor
Peter Kindel - Creamery Supervisor, Head Cheesemaker
Seth Travins - Kraut Cellar Supervisor
Green Market
Ben Borkovitz - Program Director
Ben was an engineering consultant until following his heart and embarking on a number of different food and agriculture-related adventures. These adventures have included growing, cooking, selling, and teaching about organic, natural foods. Ben has been selling Hawthorne Valley Farm products at the Union Square Market since 2000. In 2003, he and his wife, Sarah, started co-managing the program. In 2004, they joined another farmer's market in Inwood, Manhattan. Ben enjoys telling customers, interested folks, and the coworkers he hires about food and the work of Hawthorne Valley. His newest passion is being a father. His daughter, Hannah Yael, was born in February 2011.
Sarah Shapiro
Farm Store
Bonnie Bell - Wellness Buyer, Non-foods Buyer
Bonnie first came to work at Hawthorne Valley as the School receptionist in 1998. She the served as a Kindergarten Assistant for many years. Bonnie left to pursue other interests, returning in 2008 to manage the Wellness department at the Farm Store. When not at the Store, Bonnie can be found following her passion for everything herbal. She is the owner of an herbal wellness company called Herban Chick, conceived in 1999.
Dana Wagner - Store Manager
Jeremy Laurange - Office Manager
Michael Kokoefer - Refrigerated Buyer
Ryan Odowd - Front End Manager, Bulk Buyer
Ryan has been an avid farmer since the early-90's and co-owns Flower and Heart Farm with his wife Amelia. He studied community development and social change in college and lived and worked on a farm in Olympia, Washington. He is a minister at the Universal Life Church and a volunteer firefighter in his local community.
Sean Decker - Produce Buyer
Sean grew up in Hillsdale, New York where he lived and worked at Double Decker Farm. On the farm, he learned to grow and harvest organic crops. He joined the Hawthorne Valley Farm Team in 2004. After trying his hand at a number of posts, he eventually settled into the produce department, where he is now the buyer. Sean's interests include games (of all stripes) and body art and modification.
Thea Garvie - Buying Club
Tommy Carlucci - Chef, Kitchen Manager
Tommy grew up in a lower Manhattan luncheonette and has been cooking all of his life. He sold his 18-year old catering company in October 2010 to join the team at Hawthorne Valley where he follows his father's style and enjoy working with people who act like family. He studies and teaches Tae Kwon Do and his family recently became the new proprietors of the Spencertown Country Store.
Zachary Tattersall-Hill - Head Buyer
Until 2010, Zachary lived in Breckenridge, Colorado and worked at a quaint Italian Restaurant called Giampietros. As Chef and General Manager of the restaurant, he realized his passion for good food and sought to get closer to its source. He moved to Columbia County at the end of 2010 to become the Head Buyer and has since developed relationships with local producers and artisans. Zachary continues his travels regionally in his VW Vanagon, visiting farms and producers to learn more about sustainable food culture and to find new purveyors.
Farm Learning Center
Caroline Smialek - Administrative Assistant
Indigo Ocean - Farm & Arts Coordinator
With a long history in both the arts and special education, Indigo's path ultimately turned towards Waldorf education. She served on the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School faculty for many years, receiving her Waldorf teacher training certification from Hawthorne Valley Alkion Center. She is now able to combine all of her passions for art, education, farming, and food in her role at the Farm Learning Center.
Margo Mullein - Day on the Farm Coordinator
Margo joined the Hawthorne Valley Farm team in 2008 and, in so doing, fulfilled her dream of working on a farm. Through her work as a teacher, herbalist, and environmental educator she has been commited to deepening people’s relationship with the earth. In 2010, Margo initiated and developed the Day on the Farm program. She brings warmth and generosity to her work with a focus on interactions that inspire one’s participation in the delicate give-and-take balance of nature.
Rachel Schneider - Learning Center Director
Rachel Schneider is a trained Waldorf teacher and farm based educator. She has had extensive experience working with children and adults in both traditional and farm based settings. In her 20 years at Hawthorne Valley Farm, Rachel initiated and developed the farm’s CSA program as well as serving as one of the growers for the HVF market garden. In 2008, she combined her passion for education with her commitment to agriculture and started the HVF Learning Center which provides professional training for beginning farmers as well as farm based experiences for the general public. She loves her work.
Farm Main House
Charlie Doheny
Charlie went to the School for Computer Programming in Milwaukee. He worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield before building grain silos in the Midwest. He then worked as a cook at Fairfield Hills hospital in Connecticut and was a carpenter for 15 years. He worked with the Main House programs for 18 years. He currently trains counselors and interns, assists with children activities, and helps maintain the program's physical infrastructure. He loves working with the children and his colleagues, who teach him something new everyday.
Helen Enright
Helen is responsible for all the functions of a very busy office environment and has been with the Visiting Students and Overnight Farm Camp Programs since 1999. She enjoys scheduling the class visits with the teachers, speaking with parents about all of the programs offered, and organizing outreach programs for the program's many supporters and friends. Helen manages finances, human resources, leads strategy development, and enjoys hearing the laughter of children as they play on the farm.
Matt Davis
Nicholas Franceschelli
Nick is a product of the New York City Rudolf Steiner School. For many years he worked on dairy farms including Hawthorne Valley Farm. He attended Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California and, in 1995, he joined the team at the Main House. He was trained by former directors Ruth Bruns, Nancy Dill, Harry Kretz, and Bruce Frishkoff to work with children who visit the farm.
Safina Callesen
Safina came to Hawthorne Valley Farm through her love for children, Waldorf education, healthy food, and farming. After working as an educator for children with developmental differences for 12 years, she completed Waldorf Teacher’s training. She joined the Visiting Students Program and Farm Camp staff in 2008 as the Dining Hall Manager and now enjoys her daily work with the students in the cow barn, with the horses, and with her own goats.