What is Biodynamic® agriculture?
Biodynamic organic is produced the way farming has been done for centuries. It is the authentic organic. It is the most sustainable organic farming method. Biodynamic is based on holistic principles that consider all creation connected, regards the farm as a complete system, and focuses on using the best water and the purest soil and compost. Rudolph Steiner, a philosopher on the early 20th Century, prescribed biodynamics as a way of producing food that was more nutritious for our bodies, and better for the planet.
Biodynamic methods work toward the development of the farm or garden as a balanced and sustainable unit. They include organic practices such as crop rotation, fertilization through composts and liquid manures, and increasing plant and animal biodiversity. Special plant, animal and mineral preparations are used and the rhythmic influences of the sun, moon, planets and stars are recognized and worked with where possible. These methods lead to a natural reduction of pests and diseases in plants and animals, and an increase in the nutritive and health giving value of food produced.
Today, Biodynamic farms enhance the structure and nutrient cycles of soil and plants with the use of specific preparations which are ideally made from farm-sourced materials. The preparations are then aligned with the Biodynamic calendar.
What are Biodynamic preparations?
Biodynamic preparations in the United States are made from six medicinal plants: yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak, dandelion and valerian. A well-known fermentation process called composting enhances each plant’s specific property.
Each plant preparation also has a relationship to a mineral constituent within the soil. For example, yarrow is connected to the potassium and sulphur processes of the soil which help draw in needed substances from the atmosphere while oak bark has a calcium-rich nature that aids in warding off fungus attacks.
What is the role of the cow horn in Biodynamic agriculture?
Biodynamic farming is a fully integrated system dependent on the vast labyrinth of natural beings from microscopic organisms in the soil to the many animals that roam its surface. The “Horn Manure” or “Horn Silica” used in Biodynamic agriculture highlights the relationship of minerals to animals. Field sprays are made from cow manure and finely ground quartz meal that spends the summer inside a cow horn. Horn manure encourages healthy root growth and vitalizes the soil. Healthy, rich soil is alive and filled with animal life (think earth worms and their subsequent casings here) and is actually created by a mingling of mineral, plant and animal processes.
Why are the Biodynamic preparations stirred in water?
Prior to being applied in very small amounts, Biodynamic preparations are dissolved in water and vigorously stirred for one full hour. Stirred preferably by hand first in one direction and then the other, the dynamic effects concentrated in the preparation are released into the moving water and become more effective.
What is the Biodynamic Calendar?
The Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar is produced every year by Maria and Matthias Thun. Based on more than 40 years of ongoing research on the influences of the cosmos on plant life, it’s largely based on the sidereal cycle of the moon. Unlike the Farmer’s Almanac which is based on the synodic (waxing and waning) lunar rhythm, the sidereal cycle is the movement of the moon through all twelve constellations of the zodiac. Each sign of the zodiac is associated with an element (earth, air, fire and water) which then has a relationship to a part of the plant. For example earth relates to root; water to leaf; air to flower and fire to fruit. These influences have the most effect when the soil is moved or when biodynamic preparations are used.
How is Biodynamic different from organic?
While both systems believe in healthy soil as a foundation for healthy plant life, there are some key differences. According to the Biodynamic Agricultural Association, at the heart of Biodynamic ... “is the idea of the farm as a self-contained evolving organism, whose life relies on home produced compost manures and animal feeds, and in which external inputs are kept to a minimum. Season for season such a farm develops its own resilient identity, builds long-term fertility and radiates health and vitality into its surroundings.”
- Biodynamic agriculture is a “whole-farm” approach. Every Biodynamic farm aims to become self-sufficient in compost, manures and animal feeds.
- All external inputs are kept to a minimum.
- Compost is treated with special herb-based preparations.
- Crop quality is improved using natural manure and quartz-based preparations.
- Ecological diversity is a goal of landscape management.
- An astronomical calendar is used to determine auspicious planting, cultivating and harvesting times.
Where can I find Biodynamic agriculture research?
A formidable amount of research has been done on Biodynamic farming including long-term comparisons between Biodynamic, organic and conventional farming systems.
Various dedicated Biodynamic research institutes include:
- Institute for Biodynamic Research (IBDF), Germany www.ibdf.de
- Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI), USA www.michaelfieldsaginst.org
- The Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics (JPI), USA www.jpibiodynamics.org
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBl), Switzerland www.fibl.org
Who is the Biodynamic certifier in the United States?
The Demeter Association is the Biodynamic certifier for foods and products in the United States The Demeter symbol guarantees that food bearing its seal has been grown and produced to international biodynamic production and processing standards.
Biodynamic agriculture actively works with the inexorable vital and health-giving forces of nature to provide a truly sustainable and balanced environment. Biodynamic foods are thought to have increased vitality and nutrition, and the farming methods are believed to improve the earth’s soil quality and promote a harmonious coexistence between the earth, its inhabitants and the cosmos.
Biodynamic® is a registered trademark held by the Demeter Association USA.