Learning Biodynamics

Learning Biodynamics

Living Soils

Listening to Richard, Dr Gantlett, who farms Yatesbury House Farm, talk passionately about the importance of a healthy living soil and how their farm works to grow a diversity of soil organisms from earthworms to mycorrhizal fungi was music to my ears. I’m stood in a spelt crop with skylarks singing in the sunny blue sky around us. It is the summer solstice, an important time in the biodynamic calendar, and I’m with 40 or so stakeholders from across the regenerative, organic and biodynamic movement. They include Oxford Real Farming Conference, Soil Association, Triodos Bank, and farmers and producers like Waterford Whisky – a biodynamic, Demeter-certified Irish whisky distillery. It’s when Richard mentions the value of soil regeneration and nature as an essential component of the farm team that my first few weeks of biodynamic learning clicks. The significance of biodiverse soils harmonises closely with my professional experience and interests. These embrace nature climate solutions, wildlife habitats, carbon sequestration, living soils and the green economy.

Biodynamic Certified

Richard and his family farm 673 hectares of Yatesbury House Farm, on chalk soils, near Avebury in Wiltshire. They treat their farm as one organism that works with nature. Yatesbury has been certified biodynamic with the Demeter mark since 2004. This ‘Farming for the Future, Today’ event hosted by the Biodynamic Association, and the Gantlett family, provides the ideal opportunity to learn more from my Biodynamic Association (BDA) colleagues. Meanwhile, returning to the arable field we’re all stood in. It felt special that we were bearing witness to the value, results and significance of an ancient farming system that grows and delivers healthy food without chemicals.

Understanding Biodynamics

On 1^st May I joined the Biodynamic Association as the organisation’s new charity manager. My first two months have been highly intensive learning. Reading, watching videos on biodynamics, attending conferences, visiting farms and gardens. I’ve enjoyed listening to and discussing biodynamics with some of the leading people within the biodynamic movement. A good couple of days with the Tablehurst Farm team learning some of the practical aspects of biodynamics. This included market gardening, the importance of horns for cattle, the highest animal welfare standards among all their livestock (cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry) and how the farm provides a focal point within the community. Their shop and café are supported by the community and impressed upon me the importance of high quality, nutritious, chemical-free, healthy foods and nature friendly farms.

Horn Manure Preparation Stirrings

As part of my learning plan, I’ve already enjoyed two horn manure preparation stirrings. My first with Bernard Jarman within the walled garden of Hawkwood College, Stroud and the second with Darshan Robson, the biodynamic gardener for Michael Hall School, Forest Row and again within a walled garden. Both stirrings involved the cow manure that had been placed into a cow’s horn and buried over winter. With Bernard, a large metal barrel of water had been heated over a wood fire before the horn manure preparation was dissolved into the water and stirred for exactly one hour, by hand. The stirring technique needs to be quite vigorous creating a vortex through stirring both anti-and-clockwise. I confess at first, I was somewhat sceptical as to the need for the method of the stirrings. However, toward the end of the hour’s stirring the water ‘felt softer, creamier in texture and less resistant’. Horn manure preparation stirring with Darshan involved a slightly different technique. The stirring involved a large wooden barrel and a wooden paddle for the stirring. On both occasions I helped spray the horn manure solution across the fruit and vegetables being grown at Hawkwood and Michael Hall School. The horn manure preparation is a potent chemical-free fertilizer that produces vibrant, colourful and delicious fruits and veg. I know, because I’ve eaten some of the produce – carrots pulled direct from ground and chard leaves.

Key Learnings

2-months intense biodynamic learning and my 3 key outcomes are:

Why Cows Have Horns: Sussex cattle are grazing a herb-rich field at Tablehurst Farm. It’s an early morning in late-May and I’m enjoying listening to the bird songs. Watching these cows graze I’m thinking what’s different about them from other cows – well, they’re all horned. Cows with horns are more unusual in these modern times. However, they shouldn’t be because cow horns are essential delicate sensory organs. Horns have blood vessels and I think from my readings and conversations with biodynamic farmers horns support the digestive systems of cows. (Further reading: Why Cows Have Horns?).

 Biodynamic Preparations: so far, I’ve learnt two preparations – the cow horn manure spray and the silica preparations. Both are important for enhancing the life of the soil, increasing plant immunity, strengthening photosynthesis and ripening of fruits.

Soils & Nature: soils rich in humus, that are alive with microbial and mini-beast life produce heathy plants resistant to pests and diseases. Farming with nature is beneficial for us all and our planet.

We should all be getting involved in biodynamic focused gardening and farming. It’s the most natural system. It works with the natural world not against it. In my next blog I would like to discuss cattle and climate and why living soils help sequester carbon when managed in a biodynamic way.

Gary Roberts BDA Charity Manager