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Smallholding Magazine Jan-Feb 2018

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Smallholding Magazine Jan-Feb 2018 What you’ve alwaysby Elisabeth wondered Winkler about biodynamics… Communications manager for the Biodynamic Land Trust very smallholder wants to create the mix between the spiritual and the Steiner’s agricultural lectures outlined compost and return goodness to scientific,” says Tom Petherick. “It is a set of practices and principles for Ethe earth. Biodynamic methods the science behind it which makes sustainable farming. It was at about help make it happen. A biodynamic biodynamic growing such a stand- the same time that the father of smallholding aims to grow healthy out. Trialling can be done, and cause organic farming, Sir Albert Howard, crops without fertilisers, herbicides and effect observed. It’s complex and was learning traditional methods from and pesticides, using natural biological deep. Even after ten years of growing, farmers in India. Steiner, who grew up in methods such as companion planting my biodynamic journey is just getting rural Croatia suggested practices both for pest protection, and crop rotations to going.” traditional and new. “Steiner’s idea was build soil fertility. So far, so organic. But Science can now demonstrate that to make the farm self-generating and biodynamic goes that bit further. biodynamic methods work. According sustainable, and furthermore, harness Using herbal-based preparations to the the world’s longest-running trial the forces within nature to do so,” says and a moon and planet-related planting comparing organic and conventional Tom Petherick. calendar, the biodynamic smallholder can farming systems (Biodynamic, Organic Today, biodynamic farming has put more back into the land than they and Conventional or DOK crop developed into a methodology, and take out, develop compost teeming with systems trial in Therwil, Switzerland), its basic requirements spelled out in life, and encourage plants to reach their biodynamic soils are higher in biodiverse the international Demeter standards potential. microbial activity than organic ones, of farming. Founded in 1928, Demeter Author and broadcaster Tom and supersede organic soils for drought is the world’s first ecological farming Petherick is an inspector for organic resistance and carbon capture. trademark. and biodynamic certification schemes. Biodynamic farming was born from After a lifelong interest in organic farming eight lectures on agriculture given Demeter (he helped restore the Lost Gardens of on a Silesian farm estate by Austrian Used in over 50 countries, Demeter Heligan), he started experimenting with philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1924. (Biodynamic) Certification verifies biodynamic methods on his 10-acre He was invited by German farmers that biodynamic products meet smallholding in 2007. concerned with the decline of soil fertility international standards in production “The attraction to biodynamic is due to the advent of chemical farming. and processing. Its trade mark is legally 34 | SMALLHOLDING Land and PeopleJan-Feb18.indd 34 SMALLHOLDING Weekly farm clubs on Huxhams Cross Farm registered in many countries including Biodynamic calendar - a the EU. Regulated in the UK by the new science of timing Tom’s Top Tips Biodynamic Agriculture Association The calendar is now in its 56th year. • The calendar is a good way into (BDA), biodynamic standards stand Inspired by Steiner making a connection biodynamics. Plant your beans on a upon legally-enshrined EU organic between planetary forces and plant fruit day using the calendar in the sky standards. Biodynamic farmers wishing growth, German farmer, Maria Thun like the old ways for Demeter accreditation must first (1922 - 2012) experimented with the Find a local biodynamic group to What you’ve always wondered about biodynamics… comply with organic regulations (two- planetary effects on planting, sowing • meet experienced people generous year conversion), then biodynamic and harvesting. Traditional farming has with their knowledge requirements (additional one-year long used lunar almanacs for successful conversion). farming. Thun’s calendar goes that • Use common sense and test Biodynamic compliance requires the much further to include constellations biodynamics through your own use of eight herbal-based preparations. and planetary alignments. experience. Two preparations, Horn Manure (500) Marina O’Connell has been using • The Biodynamic Association is and Horn Silica (501), are added to the biodynamic methods for thirty years. your portal to all things biodynamic soil and plants through field sprays, After setting up Dartington Hall’s including the preparations and while the remaining six (502 - 507), School Farm in the 1980s, she started a calendar www.biodynamic.org.uk/ based on yarrow, camomile, stinging smallholding in Essex from scratch and nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian, is now farming 34-acre Huxhams Cross Marina believes it has many benefits for are used to treat the compost heap (or Farm near Totnes in South Devon using farmers and smallholders. She explains to make an additional culture that can biodynamic farming with permaculture how it used. be used as a field spray). Smallholding design. “The biodynamic calendar observes will look at biodynamic preparations in Although using the calendar is not the waxing and waning 27-day cycle future issues. mandatory for Demeter certification, of the moon, or the synodic cycle, and January/February 2018 | 35 Land and PeopleJan-Feb18.indd 35 The farm team: Marina O'Connell, Bob Mehew and Dave Wright Bob Mehew, farm manager, serving customers at Totnes Friday market Bob Mehew packing the weekly local veg and produce bag for delivery. the sidereal cycle when the moon is “in the first harvest of a large variety of Biodynamic Land Trust offers community front” of the constellations that make vegetables. The farm manages weekly shares for investment in Huxhams up the zodiac. The moon takes about learning-by-doing farming activities for Cross Farm to de-commodify the land one month to rotate through the signs local children, and a local food delivery and secure it in community ownership. of the zodiac and these are divided into service including biodynamic eggs from Investing in the Biodynamic Land Trust four groups: water, earth, air, and fire. their mobile flock of 100 White Leghorn creates biodynamic organic farms held in “In the sidereal – from the Latin chickens. Marina uses permaculture trust for future generations, to revitalise sidus or star – system of growing, design to plan the layout of the farm, nature, local food systems and the rural work is focused on leaf crops when the water systems and energy uses. economy. moon is in a water sign, on roots when The farm is secured in community the moon is in an earth sign, on flower ownership for generations to come, www.biodynamiclandtrust.org.uk/huxhams crops when in an air sign, and on fruit thanks to community investment, and and seed when in a fire sign. Although is looking for further investment for this might seem implausible to the an on-farm building. The low-carbon Rudolf Steiner modern mind, it has been in practice building will have a kitchen so it can The Austrian philosopher, Rudolf for millenia. In my experience farmers offer farm-to-fork cookery classes for Steiner (1861-1925), wrote 30 only continue a practice if it has some children and adults, and turn excess books and gave over 6,000 lectures practical benefit.” fresh produce into jams, juices and throughout Europe, developing a chutneys. In addition, it will offer philosophy called anthroposophy Huxhams Cross Farm training in permaculture and biodynamic (anthropo = human, sophia = Three years ago the 34-acre farm farming methods. wisdom). The belief that all beings was bare land, depleted by chemical can develop their inner-potential farming. Now it is a hub of activity, both Invest for Huxhams Cross founded an education system (Waldorf below and above ground. Thanks to Farm with the Biodynamic or Steiner schools), a therapeutic biodynamic farming methods, the soil Land Trust movement for people with learning is becoming carbon-rich and fertile. The Biodynamic Land Trust secured the disabilities (Camphill communities), Marina O’Connell and her farm team land in 2015, and rents Huxhams Cross anthroposophic medicine, an arts plus volunteers have raised a barn Farm on a long lease to Marina and movement (eurythmy) and biodynamic and planted over 3,000 trees and over the Apricot Centre team. A charitable farming. 2,000 soft fruits plants and produced community benefit society, the 36 | SMALLHOLDING Land and PeopleJan-Feb18.indd 36.
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