About Us

Our Mission

The mission of Fitchburg Fields is to promote sustainable living, especially regionally-based food systems, across the United States - primarily by creating a center for teaching and practicing small-scale, organic agriculture and sustainable living in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, just south of Madison, the capital.

Our fundamental goal is to restore and maintain the health of individuals, communities and ecological systems by promoting agricultural practices and other activities that focus on sustainable processes and that will therefore: protect our soils, water and wildlife; strengthen our communities; conserve resources; and create healthy, local food systems.

Fitchburg Fields serves to increase public awareness of the need for sustainability, particularly in agriculture and energy use, through non-partisan research, education, and community outreach. By bringing together a broad coalition of groups that share our goals and by inviting other communities to learn from our experience, we can bring about a transition to a sustainable society.

Our Board of Directors

Phyllis Hasbrouck, Chair
Community Organizer, 2008 Arabella Carter Award Recipient

Astrid Newenhouse, Vice-Chair
Ph.D. Horticulturist, UW-Madison Scientist *

Terry Carpenter, Secretary/Treasurer
Software Company CEO, Retired

Edie Devine, Member
Port to Print, Inc. Co-Founder*

Advisory Board

Ed Blume
Director Communications/Outreach, RENEW Wisconsin

David Bohnhoff
Professor of Structural Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering Dept, College of Ag and Life Sciences, UW-Madison

Gerald R. Campbell
(Retired) Professor, Agricultural and Applied Economics, UW-Madison/Extension
Appointed member of the Dane County Food Council

Sam Dennis, Jr.
Board Member of Community Groundworks (formerly Friends of Troy Gardens)

Ron Doetch
Executive Director of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

John Hendrickson
Coordinator, Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers, CIAS, UW-Madison *
Board Member, Madison Area CSA Coalition *
Farmer, Stone Circle Farm

Brian Joiner
Co-founder, Past President, and Member of the Board of Sustain Dane*

Jerome Kaufman
Emeritus Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, UW-Madison
President, Growing Power, Milwaukee, Board of Directors

Torbjörn Lahti
Co-author, The Natural Step for Communities
Senior Advisor, The Natural Step

Michael Monte
Chief Operating Officer of the Champlain Housing Trust, Burlington, VT *
Former Director of the Economic Development Office, Burlington, VT *

Kit Perkins
Former Executive Director of Intervale Center, Burlington, VT

Dale Secher
Owner & Operator of Carandale Farm, Town of Oregon, WI

Joy Zedler
Aldo Leopold Professor of Restoration Ecology, Arboretum and Botany Dept., UW-Madison *

* Organizations listed for identification purposes only