Born in 1957 in Heidelberg, Germany, Steffen Schneider apprenticed in the summer of 1980 at Hawthorne Valley Farm. After receiving his degree in agriculture from the Justus von Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, Steffen became one of three founding members of Nokomis Farms in East Troy, Wisconsin. In 1989 Steffen became herdsman at Hawthorne Valley Farm and has served as farm and general manager there since 1994. In 2008 he joined the Board of Directors of the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association. Steffen is married with two sons, ages 25 and 21.