JOURNAL OF THE BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION ■ ISSUE NO: 110 ■ WINTER 2009 ■ ISSN NO: 1472-4634 ■ £4.50 INTERVIEW WITH ALAN BROCKMAN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ON A BIODYNAMIC FARM A NEW APPROACH TO MILLING AND BAKING GARDEN PLANNING AT PISHWANTON Demeter Certifi cation STAR & FURROW The Association owns and administers the Journal of the Biodynamic Agricultural Association Demeter Certifi cation Mark that is used by Published twice yearly biodynamic producers in the UK to guaran- Issue Number 110 - Winter 2009 THE BIODYNAMIC tee to consumers that internationally recog- ISSN 1472-4634 AGRICULTURAL nised biodynamic production standards are ASSOCIATION (BDAA) being followed. These standards cover both production and processing and apply in more STAR & FURROW is the membership magazine The Association exists in order to sup- than forty countries. They are equivalent to of The Biodynamic Agricultural Association port, promote and develop the biodynamic or higher than basic organic standards. The (BDAA). It is issued free to members. approach to farming, gardening and forestry. Demeter scheme is recognised in the UK as Non members can also purchase Star and This unique form of organic husbandry is Organic Certifi cation UK6. Furrow. For two copies per annum the rates are: inspired by the research of Rudolf Steiner UK £11.00 including postage (1861-1925) and is founded on a holistic and Apprentice Training Europe (airmail) £13.00 spiritual understanding of nature and the A two year practical apprentice training Rest of the World (airmail) £16.00 human being. course is offered in biodynamic agriculture and horticulture. Apprentices work in ex- Editor: Richard Swann, Contact via the BDAA The Association tries to keep abreast of change for board and lodging on established Offi ce or E-mail: [email protected] developments in science, nutrition, education, biodynamic farms and gardens and receive Design & layout: Dave Thorp of ‘The Workshop’ health and social reform. It is linked to the tutorial guidance and instruction from ex- Printed on a 50% Agricultural Department of the School of perienced practitioners. Practical training is recycled FSC paper Spiritual Science (Switzerland) and affi liated supported with regular theoretical sessions by Severnprint, as a group of the Anthroposophical Society either on the farm or in coordination with Gloucester in Great Britain. It is also a full member of other local centres. Two week-long block Demeter International, SUSTAIN, IFOAM courses are offered to all UK apprentices Published by the and the Five Year Freeze. each year. Graduating apprentices receive a Biodynamic Agricultural certifi cate from the BDAA. Association Membership is open to everyone interested © B.D.A.A. 2009 in working with, developing or learning about Funding Charity No: 269036 biodynamics. Current rates are £30 (£15.00 The Association is a small organisation VAT No: 791 2859 91 concessions). Members receive a quarterly wholly dependent on subscriptions, dona- newsletter, Star and Furrow twice a year, tions and grants. There is a healthy and The function of Star and Furrow is to regular information on events and access to growing interest in biodynamics and to meet encourage the free exchange of ideas and a member’s library. Many local groups exist this welcome development additional funds experience among those who work with, or for further study and the exchange of practi- are being sought to supplement the limited are interested in biodynamic farming, gardening cal experiences. resources available. Becoming a member and and related subjects. Contributors subscribe to encouraging others to join is an important no dogma and are bound by no rules. Their The BDAA stocks more than a hundred way of supporting the work. Donations over contributions are personal documents, not books on biodynamic agriculture and related and above the recommended membership offi cial utterances by the Association. subjects. These are available from the offi ce subscription are also extremely helpful. Even by mail order. the smallest contribution can make a real dif- Final dates for contributions are 1st April for the ference. For those considering making a Will summer issue and 1st October for the winter Seed development project and possibly leaving something to support issue. Copy should either, be typed/printed in The Association is working to develop a sus- biodynamic development, a legacy leafl et is black on A4 paper, on disk in a format accessible tainable on farm plant breeding programme, now available. Please contact the offi ce for to Microsoft Word or sent by e-mail. Please send increase the availability of high quality seed a copy. articles to the editor at the BDAA Offi ce. varieties suited to organic growing condi- tions and encourage the establishment of For information on all aspects of the Associa- BDAA COUNCIL a cooperative network of biodynamic seed tion’s work contact: Chairman: Sebastian Parsons producers. The breeding and development of Biodynamic Agricultural Association, Treasurer: Ian Bailey appropriate site adapted varieties is of vital Painswick Inn Project, Other Council Members: Peter Brown, interest to biodynamic farmers and offers Gloucester Street, Stroud, Brian Cavendish, Liz Ellis, Robert Lord, the only long term alternative to biotech- Glos, GL5 1QG Pat Schofi eld and Richard Thornton-Smith nology. It also requires an ongoing research Tel. 0044 (0)1453 759501 commitment that is entirely dependant on Email: offi [email protected] BDAA Executive Director: gifts and donations. Website: www.biodynamic.org.uk Bernard Jarman Email: [email protected] Association Secretary: Jessica Standing Advertise in the Star and Furrow! Email: offi [email protected] Star and Furrow reaches not only the mem- Discounts are available on request. bership of over 1000 people. It is also read by Cheques and money orders should be DEMETER STANDARDS COMMITTEE a wider audience in the organic movement made out to the Biodynamic Agricultural Chairman: Huw Shepherd Tel: 0131 229 7803 and in educational institutions around the Association or BDAA. Foreign advertisers Scheme Co-ordinator and Secretary: country and abroad. are requested to pay by international money Moira Ross Tel: 0131 552 6565 The advertising rates are as follows: order. The closing dates are: 1st April for the Email: [email protected] The charge for small advertisement is 12p summer issue and 1st October for the win- Demeter Manager: per word for members of the Biodynamic ter issue. Advertisements not received and Timothy Brink Tel: 0131 478 1201 Agricultural Association and 25p per word for paid for by these dates may not be accepted. Email: [email protected] non-members. Please send advertisements to the Editor’s The charges for display advertisements are: address (see right). STAR AND FURROW EDITORIAL GROUP •Outside back cover £300 •1/4 page £50 Richard Swann, Bernard Jarman •Inside back cover £200 •1/8 page £25 and Jessica Standing, •Full page £200 •INSERTS £65 per •1/2 page £100 1,000 (all prices inclusive of VAT) Front cover picture: One of the Luing/Simmental cross cows at Perry Court Farm in Kent © Richard Swann 2 Star & Furrow Issue 110 Winter 2009 JOURNAL OF THE BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION ■ ISSUE NO: 110 ■ WINTER 2009 ■ ISSN NO: 1472-4634 ■ £4.50 CONTENTS Editorial page Interview with Alan Brockman We have decided to move the publication of Star and Furrow so - Richard Swann 4 that the winter issue comes out in January/February with the other Sustainable Energy within being published just after midsummer. Hopefully there will be a Biodynamic Farm - Martin Sturm 8 more time to read it after WWOOF the Christmas busyness. - Katherine Hallewell 10 In keeping with the time of the year, this issue is more refl ective Interview with Monty Waldin than directly practical. In December, Alan Brockman was presented with - Jessica Standing 12 a Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to biodynamic agriculture. Recipe 16 - Nigella Lawson In an interview with him he shares something of the inner journey that sus- The Future of Farming tained him whilst he developed the biodynamic work at Perry Court Farm. - Ian Bell 17 Some aspects of what he refl ects on are echoed by some of the other What have we Humans to offer writers, notably in the very thought provoking and contemplative article by to the rest of the Natural World? Dr Wendy Stayte. - Wendy Stayte 18 With the New Year came a new version of the EU Organic Regula- Two Very Rewarding Courses - Jason Wilson 22 tions. Whilst they do not differ in any great deal from the previous stan- A new approach to dards, they do however make things a lot clearer. This clarity needs to be Milling and Baking accompanied by strengthening our inner intentions and ‘moral integrity’. - Nick Jones 23 In his article on milling and baking, Nick Jones suggests that we need to Christian von Wistinghausen seriously look at how our bread, ‘the staff of life’, is made. Fast modern - Bernard Jarman 27 Koberwitz and the industrial processes are not in tune with the true nutrition that our body, Black Earth of Silesia soul and spirit need. - Bernard Jarman 28 To some extent this also applies to wine making as Monty Waldin Andrew Joiner notes. In the interview with him he throws out the challenge to biodynamic - Simon Charter 30 growers that ‘…you need every biodynamic product to be of absolutely Lifetime Achievement Award unimpeachable top quality’. - Sebastian Parsons 31 Book reviews 32 One worrying sign of the times is the slow disappearance of the Garden Planning Process bees. Over the past years we have carried a few articles about a renewal in at Pishwanton beekeeping. Bernard Mansfi eld, who died 10 years ago, was a beekeeper - Margaret Colquhoun 36 and often wrote for Star and Furrow. Planting Calendar A fi ne example of his work is - Nick Kollerstrom/Ian Bailey 40 The Bee reproduced in this issue where he - Bernard Mansfi eld 41 leads the reader to a deeper under- Market Support standing of the honey bee - much and Developement needed at the moment.