Our Story

At Dirt Road Naturals, we’re dedicated to helping conservationists, hatcheries, farmers, wildlife and backyard stewards improve the health of their flocks through proper animal husbandry. We combine education with animal nutrition and husbandry tools grounded in animal biology, ecological timing, and real-world management systems. It is our ultimate goal to maintain a higher quality of life for both animals and people, with a more sustainable ecological footprint.

We focus on creating resilience in the growth, reproduction, recovery and long-term viability of avian species. Our approach integrates expertise in species-specific physiology, seasonal patterns and applied husbandry practices. It incorporates the core design principles of reserve formation, feeding geometry, and timing.

The company was founded by the team behind Farmer’s Helper. With Dirt Road Naturals, we are improving our offering and expanding our mission to empower stewards with knowledge, and provide feed and care products that support healthy, thriving animals, ecosystems and people.

When it comes to how domestic, agricultural and wildlife systems are managed, we see a better way.

We are addressing the recurring patterns that currently shape condition, fertility and long-term resilience by providing an alternate model that is aligned with biological rhythms and how animals internally allocate nutrients. Our new product launch, OptimizerRation™, is our first offering in the avian category to support this effort.

Our Team

Our team works collaboratively across nutrition, husbandry, and applied biology, to develop tools for animals under long-term care. We design and test our work in real management settings, grounding decisions in species biology, feeding timing, and sustained stewardship practices.

Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Ellen Dierenfeld - Founder

Dr. Ellen Dierenfeld is a comparative animal nutritionist with extensive experience across zoological, agricultural, and companion animal systems. Her work focuses on aligning dietary formulation with species-specific physiology, digestive architecture, and life-history demands.

She previously led wildlife nutrition programs at the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Saint Louis Zoo, supporting a wide range of taxa under managed care. Her career has also included formulation and advisory roles within animal agriculture and the pet food industry.

Dr. Dierenfeld has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and continues to consult internationally on applied animal nutrition, diet design, and nutritional problem-solving across diverse species.

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Geraldine Nidasio

Geraldine Nidasio is a comparative animal nutritionist and animal scientist with long-standing experience in food systems, nutritional management, and animal health across multiple species. Her work integrates formulation science with operational execution, including quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and supply-chain coordination.

She is a formulator of ZootriLogics supplemental avian nutrition products and has led nutritional planning, production forecasting, and logistics across complex manufacturing environments. Her expertise spans nutrition design, regulatory systems, and business development, supporting consistent delivery of biologically aligned products at scale.

Dr. Dan Wharton

Dr. Dan Wharton is a Senior VP Emeritus at the Chicago Zoological Society (Brookfield Zoo) and recognized expert in wildlife conservation science. He received his Ph.D. in Biology from Fordham University and studied population genetics and zoological garden management at German zoos as a Fulbright Scholar. His career included 13 years as former Director of the Central Park Zoo and adjunct scientist and associate professor with the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) program at Columbia University, among other roles.

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Kermit Blackwood - Founder

Kermit Blackwood is a founder-scientist working in applied zoology and animal nutrition. His work focuses on species-specific feeding systems and husbandry design across conservation, zoological, and agricultural contexts. This includes work with livestock, poultry, aquaculture, and mixed-species management contexts. His approach emphasizes reserve-based nutrition, developmental stability, and long-term functional resilience. He has led and contributed to the development of multiple nutrition platforms and delivery formats derived from this framework. In parallel, he maintains ongoing curatorial collaboration and species-level advisory roles supporting applied management, documentation, and design.