News From The Garden: The Spring Equinox
19th March 2024
Rings of Reciprocity – A tree planting initiative activating children’s imagination and sense of stewardship
20th March 2024
It is 100 years ago in June (it was Whitsun then; 7-16 June 1924) that R Steiner finally agreed to the requests from a number of farmers he knew to share perspectives on bringing life and healing into soils and nature and a new approach to farming. He went to the estate of Count Carl von Keyserlink at Koberwitz (as it was called by the Germans, being then part of Germany). Steiner lectured for 8 days to 100 attendees (mostly farmers and land owners and no one from the UK, though many other countries were represented). Steiner also answered questions and spoke with many of the attendees (and gave a series of lectures to a different audience in nearby Breslau, each evening, (now called Wroclaw in Poland).
Out of this and the preparatory work on the spray preparations completed by E Pfeiffer and G Wachsmuch, a number of farmers were tasked with researching the practical application of these indications before the content of the lectures were to be shared publicly. Thus the Experimental Circle was formed in a number of European countries. Pfeiffer collated, researched, and assessed all he and these farmers were doing and published a biodynamic method manual in 1938 “Bio-Dynamic Gardening and Farming”. Since then the research and development of biodynamics has been ongoing and it is a strong method for modern healthy ‘regenerative’ agriculture with its own standards and brand / quality mark “Demeter”. Science is now becoming able to show how biodynamic methods are effective for healthy farming and food.
That these quirky methods have developed and resisted the label of being anti-science and being only for the alternatives is marvellous. That they stand as an example of high standards for effective methods, and an approach to farming that continues to be researched to show its what works means it is still an inspiration after 100 years.
Over the last decade the number of biodynamic farms in the UK (certified and non-certified) has been around the 100 mark and a good handful of students have graduated from the BD Agriculture College ‘apprenticeship’.
Interest in biodynamics as a regenerative method continues to grow because it works. Research shows how it can increase soil, reduce N2O emissions, develop microbial and enzyme activity in soil and give plants stronger silica-based structures, all of which is healthy for those who eat them. Vegetables and fruit are experienced as being more tasty and having a longer shelf life (without preservatives or gamma ray treatments). And Nature’s biodiversity thrives on biodynamic farms with threatened species make a come-back.
The Biodynamic Community celebrates: we are planning celebrations and workshops to keep learning and deepening our knowledge through-out this year as well as many of farm activities.
We have 3 threads for these celebrations –
- deepening and increasing our knowledge of biodynamic farming and growing (CPD workshops),
- widening the audiences for biodynamics and celebrating what biodynamics offers at farming events and
- celebrating achievements in its 100 years with friends and members.
See our event page and 100 years listings for more information – there will be a variety of events and hopefully something for everyone, spread across the year and some more going into 2025.
Join us for fun and inspiration whether you like preparation making, getting clarity in finances, investigating food distribution systems or learning to communicate with the spirit of place in your garden or investigating which weed you can eat – all this and more is on offer.
Gabriel Kaye ( Executive Director of the Biodynamic Association)
