| Site menu |
|
|
 |
|
Organic Brisbane - Natural Foods Directory
Biodynamic Farming
Biodynamic Farming. An idea which links agriculture with the health-giving forces of nature. Compound of two words, bio-dynamic means life as a moving force in such a way that biodynamic becomes an agricultural practice which gives to as it takes from nature.
The Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner expostulated in 1924 a method of agriculture that took into account the rejuvenating cycles of nature and tackled soil degradation and nutrient depletion in a holistic manner. As such, therefore, Biodynamic Farming is older by around 20 years than the organic farming movement and is in that sense the oldest non-chemical agricultural movement in modern, industrialised Europe.
Biodynamic Farming is premised upon the theory that rhythms of the Earth, Sun, Moon, planets and constellations rejuvenate life forms and provide the basis for a healthy interaction between humans and nature. In this sense, therefore, activities like planting and adding preparations are believed to be intrinsically linked to astronomical events and must be planned accordingly: this, along with the use of eight homeopathy-like animal, mineral and plant preparations form the basic tenets of Biodynamic Farming.
As has been said before, this type of farming does not rely upon use of man-made chemicals to increase yield. It is a sustainable and organic way of agriculture which treats a healthy soil as the prerequisite for healthy plants, healthy animals and healthy humans. This has been amply made clear through the experience of numerous Australian farms which have seen their soil qualities improve and get rich in humus and biological activity after the application of biodynamic farming techniques.
The practices involved in Biodynamic farming, however, have been subject to some controversy. Being unconventional, the preparations made to augment soil fertility have drawn mixed reactions from the scientific community as well as the public at large. For instance, the preparation 500, used to add onto the health of the soil, is made from cow manure packed into female cow horns and matured underground for six months from the autumnal to the spring solstice. The other preparations – number 501 to 507 – too come from such eclectic and unusual origins.
Sceptics question the rationale behind such a method and attempt to negate its veracity, but the results really are for all to see: healthy soil, healthy farm, healthy society. In all it does Biodynamic Farming addresses issues at their root and aims to provide solutions therein. Even pest and weed control is done through products made from weeds and pests in such a way that the farm is rid of them in as healthy a manner as possible. One need only access the WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) scheme to get first hand experience of this.
What would be a single most important question you would ask to the about organic products?
|
|
| Login form |
|
|
|
| Search |
|
|
| Site friends |
|
|
|
