Biodynamic Food: An Old, New Trend

Regenerative agriculture and gardening

Just when you thought organic food production was the standard, they raised the bar again. The new standard is called biodynamics and embraces the whole system of food production and more.

But I feel compelled to warn you, we can look at biodynamics through two different world views.

Biodynamics – Magic Potions

Some chase its beginnings back to Austrian philosopher Dr. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of a philosophical theory called anthroposophism (man’s wisdom). Steiner attached a heavy spiritual aspect to biodynamic agriculture in which “farming can be attuned to the spiritual forces of the cosmos.”[1]

Many modern scientists consider application of Steiner’s philosophy to agriculture and other disciplines as pseudoscience.[2] After all, consulting the cosmos should never paralyze or unduly postpone one’s work. This spiritual side of biodynamics would find itself at home with New Age beliefs.

Biodynamics – the Art of Gardening

Another way to look at biodynamics is very pragmatic. Go back in time at least several centuries before the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. Farms were smaller and the majority of earth’s inhabitants had strong ties to agriculture. These family farms not only allowed their owners to sustain their lives from the food they produced, but agriculture itself was self-sustaining.

Everything needed for the farm was right there:

• Seeds were harvested and saved for next year’s planting
• Chickens had free-range and helped fertilize the soil and keep weeds and pests at bay
• Cows and other farm animals produced manure to enrich the soil
• Inedible vegetable matter was composted and returned to the soil
• Crops were grown appropriate for the climate and available water

Biodynamic agriculture meets all the standards of organic practices, but it goes beyond those in a few distinct ways. For a farm or garden to earn the official title as biodynamic, it must meet stringent requirements and receive its certification from Demeter USA. Demeter is an international, non-profit organization established to promote biodynamic agriculture.[3]

Biodynamic agriculture views the whole farm as a complex organism that is self-contained and self-sustaining. Everything on the farm, including its people, live in a symbiotic relationship and everything goes back to the soil.

Biodynamic farmers must:[4]

• Meet National Organic Program standards
• Refrain from using any chemical pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides
• Use farm-generated, natural solutions for pest control and fertility
• Set aside at least 10% of their total acreage for biodiversity
• Reduce continually any imported materials necessary to sustain the farm

With those tight standards, converting your garden or mini-farm to biodynamic agriculture can be difficult. So why would you want to convert to biodynamic gardening?

If you garden already, you know the difference between fresh green beans harvested from your garden and the frozen variety in the store. But the difference is not only in the taste, texture, and appearance. Commercially grown vegetables that are not organically grown have been exposed to numerous chemicals in the fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Unavoidably, some of those chemicals find their way into your body.

Those agricultural chemicals are typically petroleum-based and are therefore carcinogenic. They also leach and poison the soil, so that future crops become dependent on continued use of those chemicals.

Biodynamic farming shares with organic farming the elimination of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. But unlike organic farming, biodynamic farming uses, in addition, a series of fermented manure, plant, and mineral-based preparations which are added to the soil, crops, and compost. Legumes, for instance, put nitrogen back into the soil. Nitrogen is a primary ingredient in chemical fertilizers.

Why Biodynamic Gardening?

Besides the obvious healthful reasons already mentioned, a huge advantage of biodynamic gardening is that you can grow a lot of food in very little space.^[5]

Consider the following real life example. In 1966, the University of California’s Santa Cruz campus offered British horticulturalist, Alan Chadwick, the opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of biodynamic gardening. Chadwick was given four acres of barren desert to garden. With nothing more than hand tools, Chadwick soon transformed this desert plot into a beautiful, lush paradise brimming with vegetables and flowers.^[6]

John Jeavons, Director of the Biointensive Mini-Farming program, further improved upon Chadwick’s methods. His goal was to create the optimum yield from any space however small. John’s biodynamic gardening methods produce between four and six times the average U.S. per acre yield!^[7]

Bring the practices of Biodynamic Gardening to your own garden[8]^, [9]

I assume that most reading this don’t keep cows and chickens or other farm animals. Additionally, if you garden, chances are your garden may be more of a hobby garden than one you depend on for sustenance or your livelihood. That being said, here are some tips for converting your garden to biodynamic principles:

1. Avoid use of any chemicals: fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides
2. Select vegetables and herbs that grow well in your climate and soil
3. Refrain from use of any GMO seeds
4. Try biodynamic seed
5. Rotate crops around your garden each year
6. Use natural means and substances to fertilize and control pests
7. Harvest and save seeds for next year’s planting
8. Create a compost pile and use it to continually put nutrients back into the soil
9. Do everything you can to make your garden regenerative and sustaining

Imbedded in these biodynamic principles exist a whole host of subtopics. You can branch out to research such things as: determining which vegetables to plant next to each other; how to feed and benefit most from earthworms; natural pesticides and how to use them; and so on. For further research, I highly recommend Joel Salatin’s informative and engaging book, Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front.

Perhaps you find some of these principles too stringent or impractical for your garden plot. In that case, simply apply as many of the principles as possible.

Where to Find Biodynamically Grown Foods

Maybe you’re not a gardener, but would like to purchase biodynamically grown food. Whole Foods Market is a good resource. You may also find them at local farmers’ markets and other natural food stores. Demeter’s website can direct you to local certified farms and producers near you.

Conclusion

Ultimately, biodynamic agriculture impacts the health of our bodies through consumption of organically grown foods. These foods are cleaner, more nutritious, and void of chemicals. Additionally, this method of agriculture replenishes the soil rather than constantly taking from it. Biodynamics also makes use of the natural symbiotic relationships between plants, animals, the soil, and virtually everything else found in the garden or on the farm.

The question is what will you do with this information? Let me challenge you with some options to improve your health and that of planet earth:

• Convert your garden or mini-farm to biodynamic principles
• Start a garden using these methods
• Find a resource for buying biodynamic foods

If you liked this article, then you’ll love these:

• Grandma’s Guide to Growing Non-GMO
• Crazy Cabbage: Cures to Cuisine
• Broccoli Leaves: The Superfood Sitting in Your Garbage Can

 

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Rob Fischer has been writing professionally for over 35 years. His experience includes writing curricula, study guides, articles, blogs, newsletters, manuals, workbooks, training courses, workshops, and books. Rob has written for numerous churches, for Burlington Northern Railroad, Kaiser Aluminum, and Barton Publishing. He has also trained managers in effective business writing. Rob holds two Master’s degrees, both focused heavily on writing. Rob has published eleven books and serves as an editor and ghostwriter for other authors.

 

 

Sources:
[1] Ray Isle, “Biodynamics: The Next Trend,” Food and Wine, July 2006, http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/biodynamics-the-next-trend.
[2] Wikipedia, “Anthroposophy,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophy.
[3] Paige Brady, “Biodynamic FAQ,” Whole Foods, November 9, 2013, http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/biodynamic-faq.
[4] Biodynamic Association, “What Is Biodynamics?” nd, https://www.biodynamics.com/what-is-biodynamics.
[5] Mother Earth News, “Biodynamic Gardening,” January/February 1980, http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic
gardening/biodynamic-gardening-zmaz80jfzraw.aspx?PageId=1.
[6] Mother Earth News.
[7] Mother Earth News.
[8] Bellamy’s Organic Blog, “What Is the Difference Between Biodynamic and Organic Farming?” January 9, 2014, http://bellamysorganic.com.au/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-biodynamic-and-organic-farming/#.Vty6vfkrK01.
[9] Tom Petherick, “Getting Started with Biodynamic Gardening,” Biodynamic Association, nd, http://biodynamic.org.uk/farming-amp-gardening/getting-started-with-biodynamic-gardening/.