Cherrie Nolden
Cherrie has been managing multispecies pastured livestock since 1991, has a BS in Wildlife Ecology, a MS in Agroecology and doctoral research in Animal and Dairy Sciences from UW-Madison. All of her formal education involved grasslands, grazing systems and/or livestock health as components of the education and research. She has certificates in Equine Reproduction, Goat Management, Grazing Planning, and 7 peer reviewed publications from her various research projects that span prairie management, predators, disease transmission, parasites, immunotherapy, genetics, and livestock production. She is available to teach on the many aspects of profitably managing multiple species of livestock regeneratively and consult on grazing plans.
Allen Philo
Allen Philo has worked for the past 20 years in agriculture, all stemming originally from a love of horses and a desire to grow a better garden. He entered the world of commercial agriculture in 2009, when he began working as the Field Operations Manager at Gardens of Eagen in Minnesota. From 2012-2016, he worked as the Specialty Crops Consultant for Midwestern BioAg. In 2016, he also completed a B.S. degree in Soils from U.W. Madison. He then worked in a number of capacities for BioStar Organics, eventually ending as their Chief Agronomist until he left the company in July 2023 and began Philo Consulting.
Our Farm
Cherrie and Allen are first generation farmers who have purchased 130 acres in southwest Wisconsin, with 95 acres in silvopasture and oak savanna restoration, rotationally grazing/browsing 150 grain-free meat goats, 45 grain-free draft horses, 100 grain-free meat sheep, 20 egg layers, and 8 livestock guardian dogs. They lease and operate another 100 acres of perennial hay acreage. They occasionally raise grass-finished beef and pastured pigs. Systems thinking and holistic management are cornerstones of their approach and they love helping others create profitable production systems that have high conservation and landscape function, while also promoting farmer and community well-being.
