thetwigster

When I first heard of biodynamic agriculture, I didn’t take it to be any different from organic farming. I assumed it adhered to the same basic principles: no pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, just the good stuff. Little did I know that it involved so much more. Since I myself am still learning about biodynamics and all that it entails, I will do my best to share with you some of the knowledge that I gained while at Threshold Farm, a biodynamic farm.

– Biodynamics is indeed a method of organic farming.

– The farm is viewed as one, single & unified organism.
There is a deep focus on the interrelationship of animals, plants, and soil as a self-regulating and self-sustaining unit. Biodynamics understands that all organisms are interdependent and the system uses those relationships to the farm’s advantage. For example, Hugh and Hanna (the farmers) allowed their chickens to roam the farm. The chickens’ instinctively scratched at the soil, foraged for insects, and left their droppings as they wandered. The chickens, therefore, served the farm as soil turners, pest controllers, and fertilizers.

– Biodynamics limits the amount of external inputs into the farm.
Farmers grow the food the animals need right on the farm. Think of how the farmers at Threshold Farm fed the rotten apples to their cows, making complete use of the apples (previous day’s posts talks about this). The herding dog, Biscuit, scavenged most of her meals and would often eat an afternoon snack of an apple.

– Use of manures and compost to fertilize the soil.
On the last day of our visit to Threshold Farm, one of the cow’s had unexpectedly died during the night. The cow was a healthy, young girl of about 6 years of age. Most of their cows live until they are about twenty so the farmers’ were fraught with worry that the cow’s death was caused by something of their doing – a staple overlooked in the field, an oversight of symptoms. Each cow at Threshold Farm had a name, and knew that name when she was called into the barn from pasture. This cow, Felicia, was no different.

After a morning of worry, the autopsy showed that the cow had a weak heart and had probably died of a heart attack. Although the farmers were still upset because of the huge financial lost involved with losing a healthy cow, they were much relieved that the death was something that could not have been prevented. The cow’s purpose on the farm did not end in her death, however. Her body was added to the compost pile so that she may continue to bring life to the farm, nourishing her caretakers and fellow cows.

– Use of an astronomical planting and sowing calendar.
The calendar takes into account the solar, lunar, and earth rhythms. When farming rhythms and these natural rhythms collide, biodynamic farmers believe that their crop will have an increased life force, nutrition, and vitality, which will then enhance human life and nourishment.

– Originated out of the work of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. To learn more about Rudolf Steiner, visit Who was Rudolf Steiner?

One must taste food grown on a bioydynamic farm, feel the richness of the soil in her hands, and understand the contentedness of the farm’s animals to truly comprehend biodynamics. Taste an apple from a biodynamic farm, picked right off the tree and you will know.

The twigster,

Josephine