Biodynamic (BD) agriculture is an organic farming system that relies heavily on compost as a fertilizer. The Biodynamic preparations are like water on the wine farmer’s hands which makes everything work together in the vineyard and enables the production of balanced, flavourful and healthy grapes – essential if you want to make extraordinary wines. They are also at the center of JPI’s mission, and are how we work to heal the earth and restore the health of our soil against negative environmental influences. The preparations are used in homeopathic quantities, meaning they produce an effect in extremely diluted amounts. Be observant and study nature with an eye to life processes. C-Dar Biodynamic Society Biodynamics BIODYNAMICS Preparations The preparations of biodynamic compost and their application (to sprinklers) are the pillars of this method of agriculture. Biodynamic preparations are intended to help moderate and regulate biological processes as well as enhance and strengthen the life (etheric) forces on the farm. He has devoted more than 40 years to perfecting the art of making biodynamic preparations. Taking a cue from his own mentor, Josephine Porter, who declared, “These preparations are no secret, I will teach anyone who wants to learn how to make them,” he has mentored hundreds of people on the finer points of making quality preparations. It is then covered and left to ‘do its … This is achieved with the use of Biodynamic Preparations with each undergoing a unique fermentation process before use. Growers stir them in water to fling them over the vines and soil or add them to piles of compost, all to “kick start” the fertility of the soils, as one grower described it. Biodynamic farming is unique in that we use homeopathic preparations, which make a connection between the earth, the atmosphere and the cosmos to grow plants that are not only nutritionally good for you but also spiritually good for you. Preparations — formulas of mixed herbs, soil, manure and minerals — make up a big part of biodynamic farming. Some of these local groups meet quarterly to share information and make biodynamic preparations. After being buried for a time, the contents are used to make a ‘tea’ for fertilizing the vineyard.” True biodynamic farming will actually make vegetarians cringe. Six herbal preparations are added to composting materials in order to make BD compost. Insert BD #502 – BD #506 into the pile as follows: take the handle end of a shovel and make six holes approximately 1- 2 feet deep into top/side the pile at equal intervals around the entire pile. The biodynamic preparations, which are meant to re-enliven the earth, spring from an understanding of how energy builds up to make things more and more alive. In this workshop, Hugh Courtney will introduce the fundamentals and purposes of the nine basic biodynamic preparations, given to the world by Rudolf Steiner in 1924. Getting back to my story on compost, in the early days I decided that because there was not much experience about Biodynamic farming under our conditions, I would make some compost with the Biodynamic preparations to enhance it. Four of these are then enveloped in animal organ sheaths, and five are buried in the ground for a specific amount of time. Biodynamic methods are considered a form of organic farming, but biodynamic farming expands on organic's sustainable and natural approach with a holistic, farm-as-an-organism school of thought. Many biodynamic growers enhance soil fertility by applying special preparations diluted in water (“compost tea”). Biodynamic composting is regarded by many to be the ultimate method of composting. It will have had the 6 compost preparations added to it, each of which focus on different nutrients and different elements of the compost – which should again look like chocolate cake. Biodynamic preparations sit at the heart of biodynamic agriculture. The fall ‘preparations’ at Zinniker Farms, WI , biodynamic since 1943. by Thea Maria “Cow horns are stuffed with special compost preparations. We regularly make the time to stir and apply the sprays throughout the growing season” Jane Scotter and Harry Astley, “Helping our Crops to Reach their Potential”, in Fern Verrow, published by Quadrille, 2015. A change/increase in microbial community controls diseases in plants and increases the availability of nutrients in the soil. Gabby ordered Pfeiffer Biodynamic Field & Garden Spray, which helps transform organic material in soil to rich, nutrient-dense humus. 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