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Biodynamic agriculture
is a holistic system of farming that grew out of a series of lectures written
in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner. These lectures recognized the need to view farms
as living individuals within the living earth and universe. An ideal
Biodynamic farm is a self-sufficient ecosystem that produces its own
composts, seeds, and livestock replacements while operating in a
sustainable manner within the larger context of the universe. A Biodynamic
farmer grows food for nourishment, not simply to make money. Biodynamic
farming recognizes that all humans require both physical and spiritual
nourishment. Thus, the farmer seeks to produce food that supports the whole
human being both in the physical and spiritual bodies.
A key component of
biodynamic agriculture is the use of nine homeopathic preparations. These
preparations are applied at specific times of the year to the soil,
compost, and plants on the farm. Each preparation contains elements from
the natural world that work symbiotically with each other and the living
universe to positively influence the vital life forces that promote the
growth and health of the farm ecosystem.
Using biodynamic
practices enables our farm to be sustainable and self sufficient, while
supplying ourselves and our community with nourishing food and promoting
land stewardship. Ploughshare Community Farm works to reduce off-farm
inputs by producing all of our own compost and striving to produce as much
cover crop and vegetable seed as possible for our own use. We are also
actively working on producing our own biodynamic preparations on the farm.
As each season passes, we have been able to become less dependant on
supplies from off the farm.
For more information on Biodynamics we
encourage you to visit the following links:
Biodynamic Farming and
Gardening Association
Demeter USA
Anthroposophical Society in
America
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