What's the difference between Organic and Biodynamic agriculture? Soul, man.
Seed it with love!
Farming and food production these days are taking a turn for the better. In an age of technology, space racing, A.I. innovation, and chemical warfare- we've all come to grips by now that new is not always better. In fact, when it comes to growing vegetables and buying them in the grocery store or farmer's market- the informed consumer or farmer reach back in time to the world of "organic". This world knows no chemical pesticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilizers and for that we give thanks, brothers and sisters. This world of clean water and sparkling skies, fields nurtured by farmers with their neighbors by their side, existed up until about 50 years ago and is being reborn. To what do we owe the honor of this agricultural renaissaince? Enlightenment born of armageddon like terror, pestilence and plague amongst man and beast. The onslaught of disease and death which now poison the bodies of our fellow man and our water systems as a result of commercial, industrial farming ushered in along with the 'better, faster, more' way of thinking. As world economies slip further into the abyss and unemployment rises, many turn to their backyards for a little extra support when it comes to feeding the family. Faced with the reality of spraying poison on the vegetables their children will soon be eating, organic starts to seem a whole lot more down to earth and not just a luxury item for yuppies who can afford buying them at Whole Foods.
Growing organic food and eating organic food is obviously the right choice for so many reasons but, what about biodynamic? What exactly is that? Biodynamic agriculture is everything organic agriculture is- and then some. Biodynamic farmers and winemakers follow all the same rules as organic farmers but, they go a little further. Biodynamic farming addresses not only the physical, it addresses the energetic properties of life in the field. The life of the soil, the life of the vegetables, the water, the air, the cosmic influences of the moon and planets, are factored into the biodynamic planting calendar. The gravitational pull of the full moon is no small potatoes when it comes to farming. In fact, if you want small potatoes or wimpy carrots, you'll get them if you plant during the wrong moon phase.
Biodynamics honors the energetics of the earth and the elements that make life possible in a farmer's field. It is a perspective of connecting with the life bearing energies, instead of regarding the process as simply biological. On a physical level, biodynamic farming includes plant diversity, companion planting, and crop rotation to nourish and replenish the soil as well as keeping destructive pests at bay.
The methods of biodynamic agriculture as we know it today were penned by Austrian scientist, Rudolph Steiner in his manuscript entitled simply, Agriculture. It involves preparing a series of compost preparations and teas which speak to the feminine, life-bearing energies of the earth. These preparations are used in homeopathic doses, a teaspon of one preparation will be used for over one acre of land. The teas, made of natural herbs or silica, will be sprayed onto the leaves of the adult plants according to a calendar which biodynamic farmers go by. This calendar is similar to the traditional planting calendar of days of yore, which you can still find in the hardware store by the checkstand, the Farmer's Almanac. The biodynamic calendar, however, not only takes the seasons and moon phases into consideration, it also includes other planetary influences which, similar to the zodiac calendar in astrology, also affect the nature of plants.
If you know anything about your own zodiac sign, you'll know that there are certain elements associated with your sign- fire, water, earth, and air. These same elements are part of life in the field. Like people, plants also have qualities that belong more to one element or planetary influence. For example, roots like beets and potatoes fall under the earth sign Capricorn because they live and grow in and under the ground. A beautiful red rose bush flourishes under the romantic spell of Venus. The lacey, delicate structure of dill is best planted in the air sign of Aquarius. Types of plants and the times to plant or prune or harvest, are all taken into consideration in terms of these elemental and cosmic influences.
More and more organic farmers are beginning to explore the world of biodynamics, with amazing results. Winemakers have an especially personal relationship with their vines and are deeply invested in the art of making wine. Whereas, a farmer who grows grain or corn may have a connection with their land, at the end of the season, its still just corn or wheat. Winemakers, however, painstakingly grow grapes with great care because those grapes will eventually become a personal expression during the winemaking process. Organic vineyards in California, France, and Germany and all over are turning to biodynamics with astounding results. Blind taste tests of wines are speaking to the overall excellence and superiority of biodynamic wines over organic wines, which are far and above scoring higher than wines made from grapes grown with pesticides and herbicides.
While the process of biodynamic farming and composting may seem alien or overly intricate- the results are in. Perhaps, just as organic food production has caused a paradigm shift in the way we think about the food we are eating and the consequences the methods of farming used to grow that food has on our planet.... and all of life upon it.... the view of biodynamic farming may be the next step, for all of us. Are we more than just a body? Yes. We are much more than a body. Is the earth just a ball of dirt and pools of water upon which we live? No. The earth is alive, just like we are. The field is alive, just like we are. The plants are alive, just like we are. What is a body? What is a plant? What is a planet? It is a vessel which contains life. It is a vessel which gives life. It is a vessel which supports life. There is more to life than biology.
