Steffen is a Co-Founder of the Institute for Mindful Agriculture and Director Emeritus of Farm Operations Hawthorne Valley Farm. He finished his agricultural university studies in Giessen, Germany in 1982. He has been a biodynamic practitioner since 1983, first in Wisconsin, and from 1989 until 2020 at Hawthorne Valley Farm. He loves working with the livestock, especially the dairy cows and his passion for biodynamics continues to grow. He is convinced that a spiritually grounded agriculture is a major lever for societal transformation. He has given workshops and lectured at numerous national and international conferences. Through the Institute for Mindful Agriculture, he is currently engaged in food justice projects in the Hudson Valley of New York and supports food systems change in collaboration with several agricultural ventures, locally and nationally. Presently he serves on the Board of Demeter USA as treasurer. He lives with his partner Rachel in Columbia County, NY, and is grateful to be able to spend more time with his two sons and three granddaughters.
