BIODYNAMIC DEMETER ALLIANCE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Sustainability Consultant
Adrienne is a Sustainability Consultant who supports organizations in conceptualizing and communicating their social and environmental impact strategies. Her work with the Alliance currently includes holding the Bookkeeping Liason role. She holds a BA in Sustainability from Arizona State University and is currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainable Solutions from Presidio Graduate School. Pairing her experience as a researcher with more than 15 years in the food and beverage industry, she is passionate about cultivating more just and sustainable food systems. She lives in San Francisco and spends her free time exploring the coastlines and mountains of California with her pup.
Andy earned a B.S. in agriculture from Oregon State University, giving him a good educational foundation. He brings real-life experience from 11 ½ years with Norpac Foods Field Department and 11 ½ years with Stahlbush Island Farms as Field Rep and Crop and IPM Advisor to the Farm Management and owners; inspecting farms since 2001 with the Food Alliance, USDA NOP Organic as a Senior Staff Farm Inspector with Oregon Tilth; and since 2014 as a part-time Certification Staff Inspector and Initial Reviewer with Demeter. He enjoys visiting farms and processor facilities, meeting the growers and their employees, and knowing that these farmers are making the difference of healing our planet through agriculture. Andy lives on three beautiful acres in rural Benton County, Oregon. He has taught an ongoing free tai chi class in Corvallis, Oregon, for the past 26 ½ years; he is a children's book author; and he has wonderful grandkids and enjoys spending time with my family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director
- Co - Director / Morris, New York
Anthony Mecca is a farmer dedicated to healing the relationship between human beings and the earth through education, community building, research, and development. Over the past decade, he has developed and led training programs for the Biodynamic Association. As Co-Director, Anthony is responsible for programs and training, as well as working with the social arts towards building a more harmonious and vibrant biodynamic community. Anthony is also a director of EduCareDo where he offers a distance learning course on Biodynamic Agriculture and Nutrition and contributes to the Foundations in Anthroposophy course. Anthony works and lives on Sun Heart Farm, an educational and therapeutic community farm in the valley between the Berkshire and Taconic mountains in New York.
Job Titles:
- Economic Advisory Council
Beth Hoinacki lives and farms with her family at Goodfoot Farm, a small, diversified market farm in the coastal foothills of Oregon's Willamette Valley. The farm is also home to chickens, geese, sheep, horses, the occasional couple of pigs, cats and dogs, and a multitude of wildlife. A deep appreciation for the natural environment was likely instilled in her during her early years, growing up in rural southern Illinois where she worked for a neighbor picking and selling flowers for market, worked alongside her parents maintaining county cemeteries no longer in active use, and spent time wandering in the woods and fields and reading books.
Over the years and in many places, she has been a horseback riding instructor, a food server, a maid, a whitewater raft guide, a ski technician, and a scientist. Now she farms full time and wholeheartedly. Beth received her BA in Biology with a minor in Religion from Earlham College and her PhD in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University. She worked as an inspector and reviewer for Demeter from 2008-2016.
Craig Camp is a veteran fine wine professional with more than three decades of experience in every facet of the industry, including importing, exporting, distribution, marketing, sales, viticulture, and fine wine production. He has extensive hands-on experience in wineries in Italy, Napa Valley, the Willamette Valley, and now the Applegate Valley.
Camp is an industry leader and has been recognized for his work by The New York Times, Washington Post, Food and Wine Magazine and Saveur Magazine. He was named one of "Wine's Most Inspiring People of 2020" by the Wine Industry Network. He is president of the National Board of Directors of the Rhône Rangers and is vice president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association. He is past president of the Applegate Valley Vintners Association and is a member of the board of directors of the Rogue Valley Vintners Association and the Oregon Winegrowers Association. He is passionate about Biodynamic winegrowing, and regenerative agriculture.
Delmar McComb is co-owner, with his partner Carin Fortin, of Blossom's Farm in Aromas Corralitos, California, where they grow and process approximately 100 varieties of medicinal herbs which in turn are made into health and beauty care products. He was also Director of Horticulture for Suncrest Nurseries Inc. in Watsonville, California for 5 years where he introduced more ecological growing practices into this prominent California wholesale nursery including developing the only Demeter Certified Biodynamic line of nursery-grown plants in a commercial nursery in the country.
Delmar has been a student and practitioner of biodynamics for over 30 years and has incorporated this knowledge into his career as a horticulturist, consultant, and designer of many gardens, both public and private throughout California. Another passion in life besides plants and soils is singing. An operatic tenor, Delmar has sung many leading roles with opera companies around the state.
Demetria has a bachelor's in journalism. Her professional background is as a grain and livestock farm laborer and manager. Other work includes National Organic Program contract inspections. Demetria enjoy helping people reach their certification goals - as well as raising plants and animals and cooking.
Job Titles:
- Director of Certification
- Director of Certification / Raymond, Nebraska
Evrett completed a self-designed bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in sustainable food and agriculture systems, where he studied food science, agronomy, and infrastructures and cultural dynamics involved with the field to table journey of food. He began inspecting farms and processors for Demeter USA in 2001 and for numerous organic certifiers, has extensive inspection training from the International Organic Inspectors Association, and has worked as a certification reviewer for several certification agencies. He joined the Demeter USA staff in 2019. Evrett enjoys being able to bring his experience as a certified Biodynamic/organic farmer and an inspector to develop and streamline the certification process for all of Demeter's licensees and seeing the integrity behind the certified products in the marketplace. He also enjoys navigating the amazing complex natural and technological worlds we live in alongside family and friends. Mountain biking and carpentry projects get fit in every now and then.
Job Titles:
- Secretary ) and Economic Advisory Council
Marjory House has been gardening and farming in the Willamette Valley of Oregon for over twenty years. She received a degree in ethnobotany from the University of Idaho, a certificate in herbology and nutrition from the Center for Herbal studies, and a permaculture certificate from Cascadia Permaculture institute. She currently owns and operates a seven-acre farm with over 450 apple trees, and over an acre of vegetables grown for restaurants and farmers' markets. She has maintained a fruit tree pruning business since 2001 and a biodynamic consulting business since 2011. She has been practicing biodynamics since 1999 and has been a member of the Oregon Biodynamic group since 2006. She is the current preparation keeper for the Oregon Biodynamic group. You can contact her at gobiodynamic@gmail.com.
Job Titles:
- Certification Specialist
- Certification Specialist / Virginia
Natalie brings experience with the Josephine Porter Institute as Gardener/Office Assistant, with Grgich Hills Estate as a sales associate and guest biodynamic educator; and as co-owner of a biodynamic preparation-making and educational business. She has earned Waldorf Teacher and Curative Educator certificates and served as a Waldorf teacher and an organic crop inspector. Natalie enjoys working with like-minded people for a common goal of a more healthy, balanced, and connected way of living. She also enjoys wild-crafting, hiking, dancing to live music, gardening, and playing with her children.
Job Titles:
- Certification Specialist
- Certification Specialist / Spring Mills, Pennsylvania
Nell is a farmer and organic inspector who has worked in the sustainable agriculture and organic farming world for the last 20 years. Working with Demeter's overseas traders has provided a broader perspective on the biodynamic movement around the world, and the diversity of people, products, and production systems. Outside of work, Nells loves gardening, playing music, birding, and botanizing. She also enjoys hiking, writing, cooking and preserving food, and working in my community to promote sustainable agriculture, water quality, and local foods.
Job Titles:
- Communications Consultant
With a background in law, Rebecca moved from DC to Eugene to pursue an MS degree in environmental studies at the University of Oregon. During this time, she found her passion for food and farming issues while working on Ruby and Amber's Organic Farm, a small, diverse, horse-powered farm in Dorena, Oregon. As a consultant, she helps nonprofits and mission-driven organizations harmonize their messaging, outreach, and marketing - integrating communications efficiently and elegantly into all aspects of external and internal work. In her work with the Alliance, she enjoys the challenges and creativity of working with regional, US, and international biodynamic movements; helping to connect the growing community to information and each other; and learning new technologies and skills. She is grateful to live in the beautiful southern Willamette Valley and loves to get out on the trail, spend time discovering ever more about her local landscape and flora and fauna, and expand her culinary horizons.
Job Titles:
- Certification Manager
- Certification Manager / Millheim, Pennsylvania
Sarah grew up a farm girl in the heart of Nebraska. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in horticulture, her biodynamic journey began while working at Progressive Gardens, where Evan Folds introduced her to the preparations and the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. This was her awakening moment, as she had finally found a way of life and a way of farming that is all interconnected as she always knew in her heart. Sarah enjoys connecting with new people interested in becoming Demeter certified, helping them make sense of the certification process, and personally connecting with current clients, assisting them all to obtain certification and support the biodynamic movement. She also enjoys seeking out local healthy food, feeding her family as close to home as possible, growing her family's food in her little biodynamic garden, music, dancing, and spending time with her best-est little buddies, Weaver and Winslow, her 10- and 7-year-old sons!
What is most inspiring or meaningful to you about biodynamics? She believes with all her heart that our whole world relies on the top 6 inches of soil-and through that small space of soil we will heal the earth through agriculture.
Job Titles:
- Demeter Advisory Council / Farm Manager, Caney Fork Farms, Tennessee
Zach Wolf oversees the farming operations at Caney Fork Farms (CFF) in Carthage, Tennessee. CFF hosts an annual conference (The Climate Underground) and an extensive research program, all while raising cattle, sheep, pigs, chestnuts, vegetables, grain, and hay across 800 certified organic and transitional organic acres.
Zach began farming as a teenager at Whippoorwill Farm in New England. After a degree in Biology from Columbia University and research engagements at Aton Forest Ecological Research Station and The Earth Institute, he went on to manage the field operations and direct the Growing Farmers Initiative at Stone Barns Center. He has facilitated the Farm Beginnings Program at Hawthorne Valley Farm, served as the Director of Farm Operations at Glynwood, and most recently as a Research Fellow at The Nature Institute. He currently serves as a board member and on the standards committee of Demeter, USA.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director
- Co - Director / Portland, Oregon
Zachary Krebs has worked in various roles as a contractor and then as an employee with the Biodynamic Association for 13 years, holding roles in website development, technology management, and human resources. As Co-Director, Zachary is responsible for operations with the goal of continuing the past decade of pivotal work in expanding access to biodynamic information and techniques in the world. Zachary first became interested in biodynamic agriculture while participating with the Red Earth Descendants community garden in Ashland, OR. Shortly after that he began working with the Association as a website and programming consultant. Alongside this journey into biodynamics, Zachary is a father and a dedicated full-time nerd. He is a graduate of the University of the People's Health Science program focused on community health, and a graduate of POCA Tech, an acupuncture program focused on increasing healthcare access to underserved populations. At the end of the day, he wants to see human and environmental health increase and hopes to be a positive voice in regenerating our bodies, spirits, and environments for future generations.