MEET THE FOUNDERS

Biodynamic Source Co-Founders Brook LeVan and Lloyd Nelson

​Brook LeVan 

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LeVan is co-founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Settings a 501 (c)(3) corporation that is a working ranch and Whole Systems Learning Center.  LeVan created, with his wife Rose, Sustainable Settings in 1997. He oversees all development and programming and raised the funds to purchase the 244-acre ranch site for Sustainable Settings, fueling sustainable development and sustainability education programs for the last 19 years. Personal grants and fellowships include Fulbright Research Scholarships and a Durfee Foundation Fellowship. Le Van holds a Masters degree from NYSCC Alfred, NY, is an alumnus of the Institute for Social Ecology and Kansas City Art Institute, has his diploma in Permaculture Design, and is a Whole Systems Design consultant and Green Design Charrette Facilitator. He has been a visiting professor and lectured regionally and nationally on art as a social stimulant, small-scale organic food production, and the development of local food and energy systems. He is on the board of three non-profit organizations, hosts Sustainable Solutions- Interviews with Practical Visionaries on Aspen Grassroots TV, as well as writes a regular column, Food For Thought, for Edible Aspen magazine.​
  • 'LeVan first worked with biodynamic preparations in compost making and field applications at Cate Farm for The Institute for Social Ecology in Plainfield, VT in 1977
  • Sustainable Settings Ranch in a Demeter certified ranch and has been making and applying BD preps with increasing frequency and expanded and diversified applications since acquiring the land in 2004.
  • Biodynamic Education and Affiliations:
    • Hosting Biodynamic preparation making workshops and demonstrations
    • Member of the North American Fellowship Preparation Makers
    • Main mentor at Sustainable Settings Ranch for the North American Biodynamic Association Apprenticeship Program (NABDAP)
    • Founding member of the Central Colorado Biodynamic group (CCBD)
    • Member of the Biodynamic Association (BDA)

Lloyd Nelson 

Lloyd has worked extensively on biodynamic projects from temperate rain forest to high mountain desert and tropical island zones.  He has twenty years of Biodynamic experience in BD Farm Management, BD Educator and ​Consultant. Lloyd is skilled in both Biodynamic preparation making and application and offers his knowledge through education and consultation. His work was inspired by a three year apprenticeship in the Bio-intensive (Biodynamic/ French intensive) growing method with the great landscape architect, Craig Siska, director of Allan Chadwick Archives.
Lloyd has a strong Biodynamic foundation, living working at the Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics (non-profit company dedicated to the production of Biodynamic Preparation) under the guidance of Hugh Courtney, the premier BD prep maker in the United States and spent seven years serving on the board of directors.

Lloyd is an active member of the Fellowship of Preparation Makers Serving on the following committees:
Fellowship Conference planning
Preparation Quality Evaluation 
Steering Commitee-SG2
Demeter Biodynamic Standards Advisory Committee  

  • Lloyd owns and operates a Biodynamic Spray Service
  • BD Horticultural and Greenhouse specialist
  • BD Educator and Workshop presenter-
  • 2016 North American Biodynamic Conference,  Santa Fe NM, presenter- "Hands on with the Biodynamic Preparations"
  • 2016 Fellowship of Preparation makers conference- Ukiah California, presenter
  • 2016 BD workshops series at Sustainable Settings, presenter
  • 2015 BD workshop series at Sustainable Settings,
  • ​​​2014 North American Biodynamic Conference, Louisville Ky, 
  • 2014 BD prep workshop, making all 9 BD preps, 3 day intensive, Sustainable Settings, Carbondale Colorado,
  • 2014 Eco farm, California- co presenter with Colum Riley
  • Pre conference- "Farm scale composting and the Bio dynamic preparations" Main conference- "Nourishing your land with Biodynamic Preparations"
 ​And the founders of the greatest fertility on Earth, Biodynamic Cows!  We love our cows....
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