The ethical concept underpinning biodynamic husbandry involves a holistic understanding for nature and the living earth and the role played by animals, plants, minerals, landscape, water and air as well as the finer and more subtle influences of our cosmic environment, the seasons and planetary rhythms. Due recognition is also given to the spiritual principles at work behind what is perceptible to our senses.

The agricultural practice promoted as biodynamic seeks to work in harmony with all these various factors. At its heart is the idea of a farm as a self contained evolving organism which relies as far as possible on home produced composts, manure and animal feeds and in which external inputs are reduced to a minimum.

To produce food in a garden or on a farm requires intervening in the course of nature. Nature needs enhancing if we are to produce sizeable fruit and vegetables of any quality. However unlike conventional practice we believe that any enhancement must arise from work in harmony with the life processes of plant and animal.

There are a number of biodynamic measures which are used to enhance the quality and vitality of plant growth through influencing soil and compost metabolism. These measures involve the use of specially prepared organic substances in minute quantities.

The substances used to regulate the composting processes, the so called compost preparations, are made by taking certain herbs, placing them within specific animal organ sheaths and allowing the seasonal life of the soil to work upon them. For example chamomile flowers are stuffed into a section of bovine intestine (similar to a sausage) and then buried in garden soil through the winter. A tiny portion of this transformed chamomile is then inserted into a compost heap. There are five other compost preparations made in a similar way and each one having unique properties for enhancing and regulating the take up or stabilisation of specific soil substances and plant nutrients.

Two further preparations are used, highly diluted as field sprays during the growing season, directly on the soil or on the growing plant. These are made by filling cow horns either with cow manure or powdered rock crystal and allowing seasonal forces to work on them while being buried beneath the soil for several months. These two field sprays act in a polar way on plant growth, the horn manure enhancing root growth and soil life while the horn silica enhances the ripening, nutritional and keeping qualities of the plant in question.

With the exception of the horn silica preparation applied as an extremely diluted mist onto the growing plant, these substances are used only on the soil or in compost heaps and in extremely small quantities.

Although the manufacture of biodynamic preparations clearly involves the use of certain animal organs as sheaths, it is worth bearing in mind that every organic farm or garden will base its fertility on animal manure and often use blood and bone meal as well, and these in far greater quantities than is the case with BD preparations. Consideration should also be given to the fact that a living soil thrives through the breakdown and compostation of countless remains of small animals and micro organisms. For further information on the biodynamic preparations and other questions, please contact the :-

Biodynamic Agricultural Association

Painswick Inn Project

Gloucester St.,

STROUD

Glos. GL5 1QG

Tel/fax 01453 759501