Biodynamic Agriculture – Planting and Growing with Spirit
Posted on Tue, Mar 10, 2009
Pioneered by Rudolf Steiner, biodynamic agriculture is rooted in anthroposophy, a philosophy that encompasses the spiritual as well as the physical world and embraces a profound understanding of the human being and of evolution. Biodynamic agriculture involved the use of particular spray preparations as an aid to increase soil fertility, encourage light into the crop and enhance the ‘forces’ of compost. Planting and harvesting are done in tune with particular cosmic alignments, and the farmer, or any of us in our own back garden or allotment is the artist, philosopher and producer with an awareness of all these factors.
A German philosopher, Steiner (1861-1925) gave a series of lectures over a number of years on subjects as diverse as education, development of the child, the arts, science, medicine and history as well as agriculture. His philosophy (known as anthroposophy) sought to guide individuals in their own spiritual experience and investigations and to encourage a greater attentiveness to the manifestation of Spirit in everyday life. Steiner’s approach to agriculture was that the world around us is more that just what we see: it contains life forces and a connection to the spiritual world. Following the lecture, a group of farmers came together and began to work on some of the ideas until both biodynamic practice and anthroposophy were banned in Nazi Germany.
Today there are 173 certified (see Demeter, below) farms in the UK, making up 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares). Germany has the most biodynamic farms: 1,327 farms, on more than 53,000 hectares.
Biodynamic Concepts
One of the central concepts of biodynamic agriculture is that the forms of plants don’t come about randomly or coincidentally but are the effect of four formative forces known as ethers or etheric forces. These are life, water, light and warmth, and the relative strength of these varies during the cycle of both the day and the year.
Another concept that sets biodynamics apart from organic or any other form of agriculture is the idea that animals show in their motion, emotion and behaviour their inherent soul qualities, which should be respected in farming.
The Farmer
The farmer is the link between the cosmos and the earth, and the farmer’s role is to get the right thing in the right place at the right time; to think and plan with the aim of creating balance and harmony within the farm system. The thought process might go something like this, for example: I have this number of acres for my biodynamic farm, I need so much land for grazing and so much for the production of concentrate feed, therefore I can stock so many cows which produce this much milk, meat and manure; the manure needs to be spread on so many acres on which I could grow so much vegetables to supplement the meat and milk. This process is no different from that undertaken by any conventional or organic farmer, but what makes biodynamic farms different is that they aim to be a closed system – one that is self-sufficient and buys in as little as possible.
Biodynamic farmers hold their farm in their consciousness as a being in which the soil is one of the organs, livestock another, vegetable crops another and so on. One practical application of this is that the farmer tries to find time to be still and learn to work intuitively – not easy with exhausting working days!
Biodynamic Preparations
Biodynamic preparations are used to help increase soil vitality, regulate imbalances, improve plant health and bring the farm into harmony with its surroundings.
There are two spray preparations, made from cow manure and ground quartz, which are applied to the soil and the growing plant respectively, and a number of the other preparations are made specifically for use in the compost heap and include yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian. These are mixed into each compost heap, with the aim of stabilising and harmonising the various processes going on within the heap. In common with many biodynamic practices, the preparations appear to have a levelling effect. The preparations can either be made at home or purchased ready for use.
In tune with the Cosmos
Biodynamic practice tells us that during the day, the season and the year there are certain cycles, in which the different life forces are stronger or weaker. For instance, in the early summer the light ether is very strong, as is the life ether, but the water ether is withdrawing and the warmth ether is just becoming stronger. By late summer, the life and the light might be starting to reduce but the warmth is really strong (imagine a day in June compared to a day in August – June has bright, long days that are not necessarily hot, whereas in August the days are already getting shorter but the temperature is at its hottest). What this means to the biodynamic farmer is that some days are leaf days, while others are root days, fruit of flower days, and the farmer decides what to sow, plant or harvest in conjunction with these cycles.
Practical Applications
There is an annual biodynamic sowing and planting calendar (see below) for anyone interested in sowing, planting and harvesting in tune with the cosmos. I am writing this on 15th June, and the book tells me today is an earth/light day, root until 12:00 and flower from 13:00. Today is also the day of the new moon, and the book tells me that bees will be gathering pollen. The book describes what is appropriate on particular days, so, using leaf plants on leaf days as an example, “development in the leaf realm is in the cabbage family, lettuce, spinach, lamb’s lettuce, endive, parsley, leafy herbs and fodder plants. Leaf days are suitable for sowing and tending these plants, but not for harvesting and storage. For these (as well as harvesting cabbage for sauerkraut) fruit and flower days are recommended.”
Demeter
Demeter is the international body that certifies biodynamic farms. Its symbol can be found on products as diverse as wheat, wine, carrots and apple juice. Only strictly controlled and contractually bound partners are permitted to use the Brand. A comprehensive verification process ensures strict compliance with the International Demeter Production and Processing Standards, as well as applicable organic regulations in the various countries. Every biodynamic farm follows the EU 2092/91 rules and regulations on organic production, but always works to increase the fertility of the soil. Biodynamic farming creates whole farm systems, where soils, crops, animals and humans are part of an integrated and coherent, sustainable farm organism.
Written by Rebecca Johns
Registrar at Emerson College
Resources:
The Biodynamic Agricultural Association
www.biodynamic.org.uk
Demeter
www.demeter.net
Emerson College – Training in Biodynamic Agriculture
www.emerson.org.uk
Biodynamic/homeopathic sprays for pest and disease control
www.bdmax.co.nz
Moon Gardening Calendar
www.lunraorganics.com
Book:
The Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar 2008
By Maria Thun and Matthias K Thun, Floris Books
This article was published in Juno Magazine – Issue 14, Spring 2008
To download a copy of the article, please follow this link:
Biodynamic Agriculture Article - Juno Magazine (Issue 14, Spring 2008)