AUTUMN 2020 Journal of the Biodynamic Association £6.50 ISSN No: 1472-4634
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CLIMATESECTION CHANGETITLE LIVING FARMS IN CONVERSATION YATESBURY FARM what’s our moral position? in a changing world with a shepherdess soil carbon and life Star Furrow & ISSUE: 134 AUTUMN 2020 Journal of the Biodynamic Association £6.50 ISSN No: 1472-4634 STAR & FURROW • AUTUMN 2020 1 Star_Furrow_Ad_AUG2020.pdf 1 03/09/2020 16:32 SECTION TITLE ® AURA-SOMA C BUBBLES M Y CM MY Our 2018 sparkling wine is the culmination of years CY of nurturing the land and our vines sustainably, CMY organically and biodynamically since planting in 2014. K Our exciting first wine release consisting of our Rondo, Seyval Blanc, Solaris and Pheonix grapes from our 6 acre vineyard situated within the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Made in the traditional sparkling method; which consisted of whole bunch pressing. TASTING NOTE Pale gold colour, the bubbles are soft, neat and tidy, with a slight stone fruit and baked apple blossom aroma. Bright and tangy with hints of lemon sherbet and fresh acidity. It’s structured, elegant, fun and extremely approachable with a great length leading to a crisp dry finish. A true expression of the terroir of our unique and enchanting estate. UK Vintage 2018 | ALC 10.5% Vol Grapes - Rondo, Seyval Blanc, Phoenix, Solaris Lincolnshire, UK Demeter Certified Biodynamic No Allergens | Suitable for Vegetarians/Vegans Available now, shop - www.shirefarm.co.uk For wholesale enquires call: +44 (0)1507 533581 or email: [email protected] 2 Shire Farm is owned and managed by Aura-Soma® Products limited, South Rd, Tetford, HorncastleSTAR & FURROWLN9 6QB • AUTUMN 2020 WELCOME Star& Furrow England’s oldest biodynamic vineyard, the first to win an award for a biodynamic English wine, RICHARD SWANN celebrated its 40th birthday in 2019. Director I hope you like the new design and format. After 15 biodynamic whisky, which Stuart Cragg writes about. Sophie years, our previous designer, Dave Thorp, announced his That has galvanised three (soon to be four) Irish farms to Balmer retirement from graphic design work. For this issue, convert to biodynamic management. That mustreceiving surely alift I would like to very much welcome and thank Janet White the spirits! 2018 silver for all her hard work in giving the magazine a fresh and Another big ongoing global issue is one of medaldiversity. from uplifting look. The international Living Farms Project is startingOz Clarke.to show The content also provides plenty of seeds of a range of inspiring biodynamic activities across the optimism, as BDA Patron Patrick Holden describes in his globe via their YouTubeBuy videos. a bottle In orher book article, a tour Lin online: Bautze piece. It is not that things will not be tough, but a sense describes the aims andwww.englishorganicwine.co.uk intentions of the project including of optimism could arise if we can find ways to speak a description of a recent visit to two projects in Kenya. about the things that matter in a heartfelt way despite In June, the first Member Assembly of the newly all the challenges we are facing. formed Biodynamic Federation-Demeter International Albury Organic Vineyard The theme of next year’s conference at the was held online. That might sound daunting, but far is situated in the beautiful Goetheanum is ‘Breathing with the Climate Crisis – from it! It was exciting and stimulating to meet virtually Surrey Hills. The vines are ecologically – socially – spiritually’ and aspects of that are with 200 participants in larger and smaller groups from the traditional Champagne reflectedvarietals ofin Chardonnay,several articles. Farming comes in for a lot of 37 countries across the globe! It provided an incredible stickPinot when Noir it and comes Meunier, to climate change, with animals and picture of the diversity of the global biodynamic intensiveproducing farming English coming wine of under a great deal of scrutiny. movement! theAnimals highest are quality. a key principle for biodynamic agriculture I would like to draw readers attention to the asVisitors Ueli Hurter welcome so clearly at outlines in his piece, which is international biodynamic research conference being held partweekends. of an ongoing project at the Agriculture Section at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester from in Dornach. However, we need to respect them and August 30th to September 2nd, 2021. In issue 130 we integratewww.alburyvineyard.com them in the right way. reported on the first such conference that took place at Yatesbury House Farm in Wiltshire also has a very the Goetheanum in Switzerland in 2018. We hope to use lively herd of Aberdeen Angus which jostled to be the occasion to showcase some of the excellent produce photographed when I visited there in the summer. As and work from UK biodynamic agriculture. Preparation reported in the last issue of Star and Furrow, the farm has started with keynote speakers soon to be announced has achieved carbon credit through their careful farm and a call for papers later in the year. Watch out for management over the years, which is to be commended. more information via the communications put out by the They also provide barley for making biodynamic Biodynamic Association. whisky in Scotland. But the Scots are not the only ones Many greetings for autumn and winter and hope you with a claim to this honour. In Ireland, they also make all keep safe and well over the next months. STAR & FURROW • AUTUMN 2020 1 14 10 18 20 32 22 34 25 THE BIODYNAMIC ASSOCIATION (BDA) Members receive a quarterly newsletter, STAR & FURROW Star and Furrow twice a year, early booking on The Association exists in order to support, promote Journal of the Biodynamic Association. Published twice training courses and events days. They get involved and develop the biodynamic approach to farming, yearly. Issue Number 134 October 2020. ISSN 1472-4634 in organising and supporting biodynamic initiatives gardening and forestry. This unique form of organic through the local group network and there are STAR & FURROW is the membership magazine of growing seeks to improve the nutritional value of conferences, the AGM and many other events that The Biodynamic Association. It is issued free to members. food and the sustainability of land by nurturing the they can attend. Many are supported in their own Non-members can also purchase Star and Furrow. vitality of the soil through the practical application biodynamic practical work through advice from of a holistic and spiritual understanding of nature For two copies per annum the rates are: the Association from whom they also source their and the human being. Put simply, our aim is greater biodynamic preparations and books. UK: £17.00 (including postage) vitality for people and planet through more biodynamic Europe: £21.00 Europe (airmail) acres, more biodynamic food and more understanding For information on all aspects of the Association’s Rest of the World £25.00 (airmail) of biodynamics. work contact: Editor: Richard Swann Membership is open to everyone. Our members are Biodynamic Association [email protected] interested in working with, developing and learning OPENhouse about biodynamics. Subscription rates are £35 Painswick Inn Design: Made By White, Cornwall (for up to 2 adults per household) or £20 concessions. Gloucester Street Printed on a 100% recycled FSC paper Membership income funds in part the work of the Stroud, GL5 1QG by Park Communications, London. Association, so they are directly furthering the aims +44 (0)1453 759501 Published by the Biodynamic Association of the BDA; however there are also further benefits. [email protected] © Biodynamic Association 2020 www.biodynamic.org.uk Charity No: 1158301/VAT No: 791 2859 91 2 STAR & FURROW • AUTUMN 2020 Table of Contents INSIDE Some considerations for action Biodynamics connects soil and plant Gabriel Kaye 4 FiBL 24 Optimism in the time of adversity Yatesbury House Farm – soil carbon and life Patrick Holden 6 Richard Swann 25 News from the Biodynamic Gardening Club Genome editing Lynda Brown 8 Lawrence Woodward 29 Climate change gardening When is seed chaos? Lynda Brown 9 Glen Atkinson PhD 32 The meaning of the sun for the being of the earth One farm, one terroir at a time Anna Cecilia Grünn 10 Stuart Cragg 34 Climate Change – what is our moral position? Lord Northbourne – the first organic farmer Alex Fornal 12 Craig Sams 38 Biodynamic farming and solutions it offers to the Diversity, social responsibility problems of climate change and fairness in Demeter Marina O’Connell 14 Alysoun Bolger 40 Stewardship – supporting a patch of soil Demeter International – ‘You Will Grow’ campaign for food growing Nina de Winter 42 Gabriel Kaye, Ian Nicholson, and Tom Brenan 17 PAMA’s immune boosting winter Living farms: Potential of biodynamic places Kimchi Sauerkraut recipe in a changing world Patka & Martin (PaMa) 43 Lin Bautze 18 Our responsibility towards animals Book review 44 Ueli Hurter 20 Tributes 46 In conversation with a shepherdess Nina de Winter 22 Marketplace 50 The function of Star and Furrow is to BIODYNAMIC ASSOCIATION BIODYNAMIC CERTIFICATION encourage the free exchange of ideas and Patron: Patrick Holden CBE Certification Board Chairman: experience among those who work with, Robin Snowdon or are interested in biodynamic farming, Council Chair: Julia Wright Managing Director: gardening and related subjects. Contributors Vice Chair: Ian Bailey subscribe to no dogma and are bound by no rules. Stuart Cragg Their contributions are personal documents, Executive Director: Gabriel Kaye 01453 766296 not official utterances by the Association. Council Members: Ian Bailey, Spencer Christy, [email protected] Final dates for contributions are 15th February Judy Foster, Odilia Kirst, Mari-Liis Nukis, Administrator: for the spring issue and 15th August for the Jenni Rosenbrock, Hannah Steenbergen, Chris Margaret McGair autumn issue. Copy can either be submitted in Stockdale, André Tranquilini and Julia Wright.